MICROFLUIDIC PACK FOR ARTIFICIAL CELL CREATION
CHECK VALVE SYSTEM PACK FOR RECIRCULATION
Unidirectionnal flow rate from 7 nL/min to 5 mL/min
The fluid stays in the incubator removing risks of bubble formation
Low clogging risk
No need for usb or electrical connection
Check valve recirculation pack
Recirculation has never been so easy thanks to our new passive recirculation bridge, which is composed of four check valves that allow a unidirectional flow with great stability for at least 2 weeks, depending on the fluid and flow rate used. Results obtained with unidirectional flow are more relevant for most experiments than back-and-forth flows.
The recirculation bridge is suitable for recirculation using a pressure-driven flow controller.
You may also perform recirculation with existing instruments, such as a rotary valve or using active valves.
Here is a comparison with the usually used active valves:
The recirculation bridge comprises four passive check valves connected to allow the flow to always be in the same direction inside the connected microfluidic chip when pressurizing the first or second reservoir.
Therefore, the recirculation principle using this check valve bridge is to pressurize the first reservoir until it is nearly empty, then stop and start pressurizing the second reservoir. This allows the microfluidic chip to always be under unidirectional flow.
Check valve recirculation pack setup
Our all-in-one pack guarantees perfect compatibility between different instruments so you can start your experiment right away. The system is piloted by a single software that may also be used for other applications. We also provide continuous and full customer support for you to get the best results out of your experiments.
Check valve recirculation pack includes:
- Pressure-driven flow controller
- Two eppendorf or Falcon reservoirs
- Recirculation bridge (Check valves)
- Tubing and luers
- Any microfluidic chip
- Can include a microfluidic flow sensor (eg. Galileo)
- Software (Galileo user interface)
- User guides
Check the video below and this application note, explaining how to assemble the recirculation bridge and set up your recirculation system.
The fluid take a different path depending on the reservoir being pressurized but the flow in the chip is always in the same direction:
From reservoir 1 to reservoir 2:
From reservoir 2 to reservoir 1:
Bridge assembly video
Microfluidic recirculation applications
Recirculation in microfluidics is mainly used for long-term cell cultures. Tension, compression, and shear stress are physiologically important regulators of in vivo cell responses. It is especially important for mimicking blood vessels and intestinal physiological conditions.
Fluid flow over cells cultured in microfluidic perfusion chambers provides mechanical stimuli that are not reproduced when performing cell culture in Petri dishes. Recirculation can also be critical when using very expensive fluids.
Some applications of check valve recirculation in cell culture include:
- Tissue-on-chip models requiring the analysis of molecules produced in low concentration
- Cell culture experiments supplemented with expensive media compounds
- Experiments requiring high amounts of media, including long term cell culture, and the effect of medium to high shear stress
- And many more!
With an expertise in microfluidic flow control for more than 10 years, we can provide you with state-of-the-art microfluidic systems. From biology to engineering applications, the Microfluidics Innovation Center is the perfect partner for you to get started with microfluidics.
Customize your recirculation pack
Our instruments are compatible with standard commercialized chips from different brands.
Our Packs can be modified depending on your specific needs. Our microfluidic specialists will advise you on which instruments and accessories are best for you, depending on your needs, and will accompany you during the setup of the microfluidic platform.
– Check our other Packs for various applications –
Funding and Support
The ALTERNATIVE project helped develop this pack.
This project is funded by the European Union’s H2020-LC-GD-2020-3, grant agreement No. 101037090 (ALTERNATIVE).
