Simulation and Analysis of a Flow Profile and Reaction Rate Within a 3D Microfluidic Cell Culture Array

Microfluidic devices deliver the promise of high throughput data output over conventional cell cultures with significantly smaller sample sizes[1]. The 3D microenvironment of sample cells provides with a more relevant analog to the realistic nature of cells over 2D cultures[2]. A microfluidic device of three layers to emulate the blood vessel, the basal membrane, and aggregates of tumor cells was developed using microfabrication technologies with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [3]. Such a 3D separation of the different layers is necessary in order to understand the dynamics of tumor cells with respect to drug responses[4]. In this study, we examine the flow patterns and transport issues in the 3D layered microfluidic device that mimicks the tumor microenvironment.