Tubeless biochip for tailoring cell co-cultures in closed microchambers

•We developed a tubeless microfluidic chip for cell co-culturing.•On-chip cell filters were used to implement automated cell-loading.•Topographically controlled co-cultures were realized by serial cell loadings.•Cell migration within a closed microchamber was monitored for 72 h.

Lab-on-a-Chip devices exploit micro/nanoengineering techniques to develop miniaturized systems for handling and manipulating small volumes of fluids. Here, we demonstrate a microfluidic device for culturing cells in closed microchambers that is designed to be compatible with standard biological procedures. This approach facilitates the thermal and gaseous equilibration of all the components, preventing the nucleation of air bubbles. Serial asymmetrical loadings were performed to realize co-cultures with initial topographical organization. The migration of two different cell types was monitored for 72 h by high-resolution fluorescence imaging.

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