Patent ID: 8355876
Filing Date: 2013-01-15
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An optically transparent microfluidic chip comprising: a) a network of nonlinear, interconnected flow channels in fluid communication with a network inlet and a network outlet, said flow channels having luminal cross-sectional dimensions of between 10 and 500 μm, the network of non-linear, interconnected flow channels having a geometric characteristic selected from the group consisting of a variable cross-sectional shape, a variable cross-sectional area, a turn, a bend, a bifurcation, a junction, a convolution, an anastomosis, and combinations thereof; and b) a tissue space in fluid communication with a tissue space inlet and a tissue space outlet, said tissue space having cross-sectional luminal dimensions of between 100 μm and 1 cm wherein: the tissue space is separated from a lumen of at least one flow channel by a porous wall containing pores or gaps having cross-sections of between 0.2 and 5 microns and is in liquid communication with said flow channel through said porous wall and the tissue space contains cultured cells.