Compressive Cell Stimulation using PDMS Membrane Deflection in a Microfluidic Device

We report a new kind of microfluidic compressive stimulation device for mechanotransduction studies. Mechanical stress was applied with the deflection of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) membrane between the microchannels formed by multilayer soft lithography. The membrane functions as an on-off valve for closing a fluid channel and a loading membrane for applying compressive stress; the deflected membrane press cells either directly or hydrostatically. As a demonstration of the feasibility of this microfluidic device, the viability of mammary gland epithelial (MCF7) cells in response to the compressive stress was assessed by the change of fluorescence intensity with calcein AM.