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Fig. 5 | BMC Cell Biology

Fig. 5

From: An easy-to-build and re-usable microfluidic system for live-cell imaging

Fig. 5

Absorption of small molecules by the elastomer. All experiments were performed using chips as described in Additional file 4C. a. The absorption of small molecules by the elastomer restricts the area of the chip that can be monitored when treating cells with such molecules. Fission yeast cells operating with a modified cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) module that is sensitive to inhibition by the 3-MBPP1 ATP analogue [37] were injected in a lectin-coated microsystem and exposed to a 20 μL/min flow of medium containing 1 or 0.4 μM 3-MBPP1, with sample temperature maintained at 32 °C. After 3 h, septation indexes were determined at different distances from the border of the channel. Graphs represent the averages of 3 independent experiments (n > 50 for each experiment) with standard errors. Note that to facilitate this proof-of-concept assay, the sample temperature was maintained using a high precision hot plate. b. DIC images of cells in a at the border and at distances of 0.5 and 1 mm from the border of the chip. At ≥1 mm from the border of the chip, both concentrations of inhibitor led to a complete G2 arrest, as seen in the control experiments (cells exposed to 3-MBPP1 in standard batch cultures). The size at division of cells at the border when treated with 1 μM 3-MBPP1 was 23.2 μm (average of 3 independent experiments, standard error: 0.7; n > 40 for each experiment), which is significantly larger than in inhibitor-free medium (compare with Fig. 4a). This demonstrates that not all of the inhibitor is absorbed by the elastomer. Scale bars = 10 μm

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