The study of the biocompatible properties of carbon microelectromechanical systems (carbon-MEMS) shows that this new microfabrication technique is a promising approach to create novel platforms for the study of cell physiology. Four different types of substrates were tested, namely, carbon-MEMS on silicon and quartz wafers, indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and oxygen-plasma-treated carbon thin films. Two cell lines, murine dermal fibroblasts and neuroblastoma spinal cord hybrid cells (NSC-34) were plated onto the substrates. Both cell lines showed preferential adhesion to the selectively plasma-treated regions in carbon films. Atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses demonstrated that the oxygen-plasma treatment modifies the physical and chemical properties of carbon, thereby enhancing the adsorption of extracellular matrix-forming proteins on its surface. This accounts for the differential adhesion of cells on the plasma-treated areas. As compared to the methods reported to date, this technique achieves alignment of the cells on the carbon electrodes without relying on direct patterning of surface molecules. The results will be used in the future design of novel biochemical sensors, drug screening systems and basic cell physiology research devices.
A novel dielectrophoretic oil filter concept is introduced and proof-of-concept systems are tested. Traditional methods of dielectrophoretic separation using planar micro-electrodes have a common problem: the dielectrophoretic force, which is proportional to ▿| E|2, rapidly decays as the distance from the electrodes increases. In this paper, the use of three-dimensional electrode designs for high-throughput dielectrophoretic separation/concentration/filtration systems is investigated. Three-dimensional electrode designs are beneficial because they provide a method of extending the electric field within the fluid, the three-dimensional electrodes can be designed so that the velocity field coincides with the electric field distribution, filtration of particles too small to be physically filtered is possible, and novel electrode designs, not based on planar electrodes designs, can be developed and used. The electric field distribution and velocity fields of three-dimensional electrode designs that are simple extensions of two-dimensional designs are presented, and three novel electrode designs that are not based on two-dimensional electrode designs are introduced. Finally, the experimental results are presented. Preliminary results from particle count analysis suggest that a reduction of up to 90 per cent in particulate contaminants could be achieved (the standard deviation was quite high owing to the small number of particles within view and the uneven distribution of particles within the oil).
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