(501e) Environmental Stimuli towards Oxygen Gradient - A Fluidic Device with An Integrated Array of Oxygen Sensors

Cell or tissue culture mainly depends on different types of gradients of nutrients, pH, etc. For instance, an atmosphere of dissolved gases gradient such as O2, CO2 being created near the environment surrounding the mammalian tissues helps in the study of cell differentiation and cell growth. Our study focuses on integrating an array of commercial oxygen sensors with a fluidic device which creates an oxygen gradient. Oxygen has been selected because of its wide importance in cellular functions. PDMS was used as the main structural material for the rectangular fluidic pattern because of its ease of fabrication and transparency for easy observation of cell growth. Thin PDMS sheets were used as membranes to create the required oxygen gradient in the culture medium. The culture medium used was agar gel in which all the salts and nutrients required for cell growth were present in optimum amount. Commercial optical oxygen sensors were embedded in the system which measures nutrient concentration at different points in the agar gel and surrounding environment.