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The effect of ultrasound-related stimuli on cell viability in microfluidic channels

The effect of ultrasound-related stimuli on cell viability in microfluidic channels
The effect of ultrasound-related stimuli on cell viability in microfluidic channels
Background: In ultrasonic micro-devices, contrast agent micro-bubbles are known to initiate cavitation and streaming local to cells, potentially compromising cell viability. Here we investigate the effects of US alone by omitting contrast agent and monitoring cell viability under moderate-to-extreme ultrasound-related stimuli.

Results: Suspended H9c2 cardiac myoblasts were exposed to ultrasonic fields within a glass micro-capillary and their viability monitored under different US-related stimuli. An optimal injection flow rate of 2.6 mL/h was identified in which, high viability was maintained (~95%) and no mechanical stress towards cells was evident. This flow rate also allowed sufficient exposure of cells to US in order to induce bioeffects (~5 sec), whilst providing economical sample collection and processing times. Although the transducer temperature increased from ambient 23 [degree sign]C to 54[degree sign]C at the maximum experimental voltage (29 Vpp), computational fluid dynamic simulations and controls (absence of US) revealed that the cell medium temperature did not exceed 34[degree sign]C in the pressure nodal plane. Cells exposed to US amplitudes ranging from 0--29 Vpp, at a fixed frequency sweep period (tsw = 0.05 sec), revealed that viability was minimally affected up to ~15 Vpp. There was a ~17% reduction in viability at 21 Vpp, corresponding to the onset of Rayleigh-like streaming and a ~60% reduction at 29 Vpp, corresponding to increased streaming velocity or the potential onset of cavitation. At a fixed amplitude (29 Vpp) but with varying frequency sweep period (tsw = 0.02-0.50 sec), cell viability remained relatively constant at tsw >= 0.08 sec, whilst viability reduced at tsw < 0.08 sec and minimum viability recorded at tsw = 0.05 sec.

Conclusion: The absence of CA has enabled us to investigate the effect of US alone on cell viability. Moderate-to-extreme US-related stimuli of cells have allowed us to discriminate between stimuli that maintain high viability and stimuli that significantly reduce cell viability. Results from this study may be of potential interest to researchers in the field of US-induced intracellular drug delivery and ultrasonic manipulation of biological cells.
ultrasound (us), micro-device, cardiac myoblasts, cell viability
1477-3155
1-5
Ankrett, Dyan N.
22d8eb6d-70db-4b47-9587-c4d048cd34b7
Carugo, Dario
0a4be6cd-e309-4ed8-a620-20256ce01179
Lei, Junjun
ab06fbdb-9374-4f9d-8671-8d7d4f9b7f89
Glynne-Jones, Peter
6ca3fcbc-14db-4af9-83e2-cf7c8b91ef0d
Townsend, Paul A.
a2680443-664e-46d0-b4dd-97456ba810db
Zhang, Xunli
d7cf1181-3276-4da1-9150-e212b333abb1
Hill, Martyn
0cda65c8-a70f-476f-b126-d2c4460a253e
Ankrett, Dyan N.
22d8eb6d-70db-4b47-9587-c4d048cd34b7
Carugo, Dario
0a4be6cd-e309-4ed8-a620-20256ce01179
Lei, Junjun
ab06fbdb-9374-4f9d-8671-8d7d4f9b7f89
Glynne-Jones, Peter
6ca3fcbc-14db-4af9-83e2-cf7c8b91ef0d
Townsend, Paul A.
a2680443-664e-46d0-b4dd-97456ba810db
Zhang, Xunli
d7cf1181-3276-4da1-9150-e212b333abb1
Hill, Martyn
0cda65c8-a70f-476f-b126-d2c4460a253e

Ankrett, Dyan N., Carugo, Dario, Lei, Junjun, Glynne-Jones, Peter, Townsend, Paul A., Zhang, Xunli and Hill, Martyn (2013) The effect of ultrasound-related stimuli on cell viability in microfluidic channels. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 11 (20), 1-5. (doi:10.1186/1477-3155-11-20).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: In ultrasonic micro-devices, contrast agent micro-bubbles are known to initiate cavitation and streaming local to cells, potentially compromising cell viability. Here we investigate the effects of US alone by omitting contrast agent and monitoring cell viability under moderate-to-extreme ultrasound-related stimuli.

Results: Suspended H9c2 cardiac myoblasts were exposed to ultrasonic fields within a glass micro-capillary and their viability monitored under different US-related stimuli. An optimal injection flow rate of 2.6 mL/h was identified in which, high viability was maintained (~95%) and no mechanical stress towards cells was evident. This flow rate also allowed sufficient exposure of cells to US in order to induce bioeffects (~5 sec), whilst providing economical sample collection and processing times. Although the transducer temperature increased from ambient 23 [degree sign]C to 54[degree sign]C at the maximum experimental voltage (29 Vpp), computational fluid dynamic simulations and controls (absence of US) revealed that the cell medium temperature did not exceed 34[degree sign]C in the pressure nodal plane. Cells exposed to US amplitudes ranging from 0--29 Vpp, at a fixed frequency sweep period (tsw = 0.05 sec), revealed that viability was minimally affected up to ~15 Vpp. There was a ~17% reduction in viability at 21 Vpp, corresponding to the onset of Rayleigh-like streaming and a ~60% reduction at 29 Vpp, corresponding to increased streaming velocity or the potential onset of cavitation. At a fixed amplitude (29 Vpp) but with varying frequency sweep period (tsw = 0.02-0.50 sec), cell viability remained relatively constant at tsw >= 0.08 sec, whilst viability reduced at tsw < 0.08 sec and minimum viability recorded at tsw = 0.05 sec.

Conclusion: The absence of CA has enabled us to investigate the effect of US alone on cell viability. Moderate-to-extreme US-related stimuli of cells have allowed us to discriminate between stimuli that maintain high viability and stimuli that significantly reduce cell viability. Results from this study may be of potential interest to researchers in the field of US-induced intracellular drug delivery and ultrasonic manipulation of biological cells.

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More information

Published date: 28 June 2013
Keywords: ultrasound (us), micro-device, cardiac myoblasts, cell viability
Organisations: Cancer Sciences, Bioengineering Group, Mechatronics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 354101
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/354101
ISSN: 1477-3155
PURE UUID: b27e34a8-29b3-44a1-80a8-61f8653af6b2
ORCID for Peter Glynne-Jones: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5684-3953
ORCID for Xunli Zhang: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4375-1571
ORCID for Martyn Hill: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6448-9448

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Date deposited: 01 Jul 2013 10:18
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:29

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Contributors

Author: Dyan N. Ankrett
Author: Dario Carugo
Author: Junjun Lei
Author: Paul A. Townsend
Author: Xunli Zhang ORCID iD
Author: Martyn Hill ORCID iD

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