Issue 1, 2007

A high-throughput microfluidic real-time gene expression living cell array

Abstract

The dynamics of gene expression are fundamental to the coordination of cellular responses. Measurement of temporal gene expression patterns is currently limited to destructive low-throughput techniques such as northern blotting, reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and DNA microarrays. We report a scalable experimental platform that combines microfluidic addressability with quantitative live cell imaging of fluorescent protein transcriptional reporters to achieve real-time characterization of gene expression programs in living cells. Integrated microvalve arrays control row-seeding and column-stimulation of 256 nanoliter-scale bioreactors to create a high density matrix of stimulus–response experiments. We demonstrate the approach in the context of hepatic inflammation by acquiring ∼5000 single-time-point measurements in each automated and unattended experiment. Experiments can be assembled in hours and perform the equivalent of months of conventional experiments. By enabling efficient investigation of dynamic gene expression programs, this technology has the potential to make significant impacts in basic science, drug development, and clinical medicine.

Graphical abstract: A high-throughput microfluidic real-time gene expression living cell array

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 May 2006
Accepted
31 Aug 2006
First published
29 Sep 2006

Lab Chip, 2007,7, 77-85

A high-throughput microfluidic real-time gene expression living cell array

K. R. King, S. Wang, D. Irimia, A. Jayaraman, M. Toner and M. L. Yarmush, Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 77 DOI: 10.1039/B612516F

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