Towards a 3D-Printed Millifluidic Device for Investigating Cellular Processes

Abstract

Microfluidic devices (µFDs) have been explored extensively in drug screening and studying cellular processes such as migration and metastasis. However, the fabrication and implementation of microfluidic devices pose cost and logistical challenges that limit wider-spread adoption. Despite these challenges, light-based 3D printing offers a potential alternative to device fabrication. This study reports on the development of millifluidic devices (MiFDs) for disease modeling and elucidates the methods and implications of the design, production, and testing of 3D-printed MiFDs. It further details how such millifluidic devices can be cost-efficiently and effortlessly produced. The MiFD was developed through an iterative process with analytical tests (flow tests, leak tests, cytotoxicity assays, and microscopic analyses), driving design evolution and determination of the suitability of the devices for disease modeling and cancer research. The design evolution also considered flow within tissues and replicates interstitial flow between the main flow path and the modules designed to house and support organ-mimicking cancer cell spheroids. Although the primary stereolithographic (SLA) resin used in this study showed cytotoxic potential despite its biocompatibility certifications, the MiFDs possessed essential attributes for cell culturing. In summary, SLA 3D printing enables the production of MiFDs as a cost-effective, rapid prototyping alternative to standard µFD fabrication for investigating disease-related processes.