SMARTCHANNEL®
PDMS microchannel fabrication kit
Fabricate your own PDMS microchannel chips for cell migration and confinement assays.
The SmartChannel fabrication kit by 4Dcell provides the molds, materials and tools needed to produce microchannel devices in your laboratory. Using PDMS molding and glass-bottom culture dishes, researchers can create controlled microenvironments to study cell migration, deformation and behavior under physical confinement.
Choose from different microchannel designs and kit configurations according to your experimental requirements and existing laboratory equipment.
WHY FABRICATE YOUR OWN PDMS MICROCHANNELS?
Control your experimental geometry
Select microchannel molds with dimensions and profiles suited to your cell migration and confinement studies.
Produce microchannel chips in your laboratory
Use reusable epoxy molds to manufacture PDMS devices without having to fabricate your own microstructured master.
Combine microfabrication with live-cell imaging
Bond your PDMS devices to glass-bottom culture dishes for direct microscopic observation of cell migration and morphological changes.
APPLICATIONS IN CELL MIGRATION & MECHANOBIOLOGY
Microchannel-based assays allow researchers to investigate how physical constraints influence cell behavior. By controlling the geometry of the cellular environment, SmartChannel devices support a range of experimental applications.
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Cell migration and invasion: investigate how cells move through defined channels and narrow spaces.
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Nuclear deformation and cell plasticity: observe morphological changes during migration through confined environments.
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Immune cell migration: study the movement and mechanical adaptation of immune cells in confined geometries.
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Cancer cell migration: investigate cellular responses to physical barriers relevant to invasion and metastatic processes.
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Live-cell imaging: visualize and track cell behavior within defined microchannel structures.
The experimental readouts depend on the selected microchannel geometry, cell model and imaging protocol.
MICROCHANNEL MOLDS & GEOMETRY OPTIONS
The microchannel geometry determines the spatial constraints experienced by cells during migration.
4Dcell offers epoxy molds with different microchannel widths, heights and profiles for cell migration studies. Depending on the selected design, channels can be used to investigate migration under varying degrees of physical confinement.
The fabrication system includes options for selecting four molds according to the available designs.
Contact the 4Dcell team to identify the microchannel dimensions and mold configuration best suited to your cell type and experimental objectives.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT MICROCHANNEL FABRICATION KIT
SmartChannel fabrication solutions are available in three configurations, depending on your existing equipment and fabrication needs.
Supplies Box
Provides PDMS precursors, glass-bottom culture dishes and solutions for microchannel preparation and cell culture
Individual components can also be ordered separately. Contact 4Dcell to confirm the detailed contents and available options.
For laboratories already equipped with the required molds and fabrication tools.
Microchannels Box
Supplies Box + Microchannel molds (to produce PDMS devices using existing laboratory equipment)
For laboratories already equipped for surface activation and bonding.
Microchannels Station
Microchannels Box + Plasma cleaner (for PDMS-to-glass bonding)
For laboratories setting up microchannel fabrication capabilities.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE MICROCHANNEL FABRICATION KIT
The SmartChannel fabrication system provides the materials, molds and tools required to manufacture PDMS microchannel chips in your laboratory.
The complete Microchannels Station configuration brings together the following components:
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PDMS silicone precursors: sufficient for the fabrication of up to 100 chips.
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2 graduated plastic cups: for measuring the silicone elastomer and curing agent.
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1 glass spatula: for mixing and homogenizing the PDMS components.
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4 epoxy molds: for shaping microchannels with selected geometries.
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1 scalpel: for unmolding and cutting PDMS chips.
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35 mm glass-bottom Petri dishes: for assembling the microchannel devices and enabling microscopic observation.
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1 round punch (3 mm diameter): for creating access ports in the PDMS chips.
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Extracellular matrix protein aliquots: for coating microchannels and promoting cell adhesion, such as fibronectin.
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1 plasma cleaner: for activating PDMS and glass surfaces before bonding.
The Microchannels Box and Supplies Box offer alternative configurations for laboratories already equipped with some of the required fabrication tools. Individual components are also available separately.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The SmartChannel fabrication system uses PDMS molding to produce microchannel devices compatible with glass-bottom cell culture dishes.
Specifications | Microchannel fabrication kit |
|---|---|
Chip material | polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). |
Mold material | microstructured epoxy. |
Mold selection | four molds, selected from available microchannel designs. |
Culture format | 35 mm glass-bottom Petri dishes. |
Chip assembly | surface activation followed by PDMS-to-glass bonding. |
Access ports | created using a 3 mm diameter punch. |
Surface coating | extracellular matrix proteins, such as fibronectin. |
Fabrication capacity | consumables intended for the production of up to 100 chips, depending on the selected configuration and fabrication conditions. |
Microscopy | compatible with observation through the glass-bottom substrate. |
Additional laboratory equipment may be required depending on the selected kit configuration and fabrication protocol.
HOW TO FABRICATE PDMS MICROCHANNEL CHIPS
The SmartChannel fabrication kit enables researchers to manufacture PDMS microchannel devices and prepare them for cell migration experiments. The workflow follows ten main steps, from PDMS molding to live-cell imaging.
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PDMS preparation: Mix the PDMS elastomer with its curing agent, homogenize and degas the mixture.
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Chip molding: Pour the PDMS mixture into the epoxy mold, degas and cure at 80°C for 1 hour.
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Unmolding and cutting: Remove the cured PDMS chip from the mold and create access ports using a punch.
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Dish assembly: Activate the PDMS chip and glass-bottom Petri dish using a plasma cleaner, then bond the surfaces together.
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Cleaning: Wash the assembled device with PBS.
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Microchannel coating: Incubate the channels with an extracellular matrix protein to promote cell adhesion.
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Medium preparation: Introduce cell culture medium into the channels and equilibrate the device.
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Cell seeding: Load the cell suspension through the access ports.
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Cell incubation: Allow cells to adhere, add culture medium and incubate under appropriate culture conditions.
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Cell imaging: Observe and analyze cell migration within the microchannels using microscopy.
For detailed operating conditions and handling instructions, refer to the SmartChannel microchannel fabrication video protocol.
FABRICATION KIT OR READY-TO-USE MICROCHANNEL DISHES?
4Dcell provides two approaches to microchannel-based cell culture experiments.
The SmartChannel fabrication kit is designed for researchers who want to manufacture PDMS microchannel devices in their own laboratories, with control over the fabrication workflow.
SmartChannel ready-to-use dishes provide preassembled PDMS microchannels bonded to glass-bottom culture dishes, reducing the preparation required before cell experiments.
Choose the fabrication kit for in-house production or ready-to-use dishes for experiments that do not require chip fabrication.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FIND THE RIGHT MICROCHANNEL FABRICATION SOLUTION
Not sure which microchannel geometry or kit configuration suits your experiments?
The 4Dcell team can help you select available mold designs, evaluate your fabrication requirements and identify the appropriate SmartChannel configuration for your laboratory.