A Low-Cost Microfluidics System for Light Microscopy Experiments

Microfluidics devices are powerful tools for studying dynamic processes in live cells, especially when used in conjunction with light microscopy. There are many applications of microfluidics devices including recording dynamic cellular responses to small molecules or other chemical conditions in perfused media, monitoring cell migration in constrained spaces, or collecting media perfusate for the study of secreted compounds in response to experimental inputs/manipulations. Here we describe a configurable low-cost (channel-based) microfluidics platform for live-cell microscopy, intended to be useful for experiments that require more precision/flexibility than simple rubber spacers, but less precision than molded elastomer-based platforms. The materials are widely commercially available, low-cost, and device assembly takes only minutes.