| dc.description.abstract | Here, we detail the design and fabrication of a two-layer microfluidic device to be used to investigate microtubule dynamics and mechanics in vitro. The design basis was precipitated by our desire to utilize the intrinsic benefits of PDMS-based microfluidic devices while also prototyping a combination of features to enable robust, customizable, and high-throughput experimentation. The proposed device incorporates redundant bubble trapping capabilities, includes a diaphragm valve system to prevent unintentional fluid flow or contamination of reagents, and interfaces with an automated flow control system with an in-line rotary valve to reduce manual intervention and enable high-throughput analyses. Moreover, both COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB software were utilized to better develop and understand the fluid transport and microtubule mechanics investigated using this system. Overall, the engineering of this microfluidic flow system can help researchers further understand microtubule mechanics and can provide improvements to experimental design in the broader microtubule field. The synthesis of microfabrication, automated recipe control, and computational modeling and analysis techniques enables a flexible system fit for probing the cellular cytoskeleton in vitro. | |
