AVS 53rd International Symposium
    MEMS and NEMS Monday Sessions
       Session MN+BI-MoA

Paper MN+BI-MoA9
Micro-Reservoir Arrays for Chemical Delivery

Monday, November 13, 2006, 4:40 pm, Room 2007

Session: Surface and Interface Science of MEMS and NEMS
Presenter: N.A. Melosh, Stanford University
Authors: J.J. VanDersarl, Stanford University
N.A. Melosh, Stanford University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The local environment around a cell, including bound, soluble, and mechanical signals, has great influence on cellular development, function, and differentiation. In biological systems multiple signals are present at one time, and their cellular influence can change depending on concentration and method of presentation. In the simplest in vitro soluble signal assays, the signaling agents are simply added to the cell culture at a specific time. This method does not have the ability to control local signal concentration or introduction rate, and lacks any bound or mechanical signals. Ideally, all characteristics of the three major environmental factors (bound, soluble, and mechanical signals) would be well controlled. We propose a new culture platform for soluble-messenger investigations composed of an array of micro-reservoirs on a silicon based wafer with the ability to independently deliver precisely controlled (temporally and spatially) doses of soluble biochemical agents to cells in culture. Standard semiconductor processing techniques can create multiple reservoirs for each cell in culture. The flow in and out of the reservoirs is controlled by electrochemically sealing and opening the narrow reservoir entrance. The reservoirs are loaded via a solution of the desired biochemical agents and metal ions on top of the wafer surface; when a negative electrical potential is applied, the metal ions reduce at the electrode and seal the agents inside. To release the signals, a positive potential is applied causing the metal sealing the reservoir opening to oxidize, opening the reservoir and allowing the contents to diffuse into the surrounding solution.