Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices have become a standard tool for engineering cells and multicellular networks in vitro. However, the reservoirs, or through-holes where cells access the devices, are usually fabricated manually using a biopsy punch, making it difficult to create a large-scale array of small (<1 mm) reservoirs. Here, we present a fabrication process for a thin-film microfluidic device, or a microfluidic film (μFF), containing an array of through-holes. Holes as small as 100 μm by 100 μm spanning 10 mm by 10 mm are characterized. The geometry of the through-holes was precisely defined by the photoresist mould. A challenge in using the μFF for cell culture was air-bubble entrapments in the throughholes, which became more prominent with smaller holes. We show that this issue can be overcome using ethanol-mediated wetting of the PDMS surface, and demonstrate functional recording of cultured neuronal networks grown in μFFs. This technology opens new application of microfluidic devices to mesoscale systems comprised of several tens to hundreds of cells.
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