Simulation-based insights into cell encapsulation dynamics in droplet microfluidics

Abstract

In the context of microfluidic technology, investigating the encapsulation of single cells is of great importance, providing valuable insight into cellular behavior and contributing to advancements in single-cell analysis. This paper presents a computational investigation into the dynamics of single-cell encapsulation within a flow-focusing microfluidic system, with a specific emphasis on addressing the challenges associated with high-efficiency encapsulation. This study utilizes a combined lattice Boltzmann and immersed boundary method to provide an accurate simulation of a three-phase system. This allowed for an in-depth exploration of various critical parameters, including cell injection frequency, cell size, and inlet position. This study identifies optimal conditions for maximizing single-cell encapsulation efficiency, emphasizing the impact of the ratio between cell injection and droplet generation frequencies on encapsulation outcomes. This study investigates the effects of cell-induced changes on droplet formation characteristics. It explains the generation of larger droplets and the occurrence of additional satellite droplets. These findings provide insight into the microfluidic platforms designed for single-cell assays, which have potential applications in various fields such as drug development and personalized therapies.