The Kima Pump is a simple to use, iPod Touch controlled microfluidic pump for life science applications including: aiding microfluidic pump for life science
The movie shows the application of endothelial cell culture in Cellix's Vena8 Endothelial+ biochips followed by flowing a nanoparticle solution over the cultured endothelial cells for a period of time. The Kima pump is controlled by the iKima Application for use with the iPod Touch and iPhone. The Kima pump is placed inside a standard incubator while the iPod Touch or iPhone, as it's controller, sits on the Universal dock outside the incubator. The Kima pump connects easily to Cellix's Vena8 Endothelial+ biochip and other manufacturer's flow chambers via fully autoclaveable tubing and delivers pulses of fresh media/solution to cells seeded inside the microchannels. The iKima App is available for download from Apple's iTunes Store.
Kima Pump for Nanoparticle Uptake Studies
The Cellix biochips are robust, simple and easy to use and stimulate human capillaries. Some details on the biochip are:
Biochip dimensions : 800μm (width) x 120μm (depth) x 20mm (length)
Number of channels per biochip: 8
Substrate thickness : 0.17mm (same as standard coverslips for microscopy)
Microchannels are coated with adhesion molecules (e.g. laminin) to promote seeding and culturing of endothelial cells.
Endothelial cells are easily seeded in the microchannels with a standard pipette. The biochip is placed in the incubator where the endothelial cells attach firmly to adhesion molecule on the surface of the microchannels.
The biochip is then connected to the Kima Pump enabling circulation of the media aiding cell culture. The Kima Pump is easily controlled by the iKima App via iPod Touch/iPhone. Kima Pump facilitates constant flow of the media or pulses of the media through the microchannels of Cellix's biochip or conventional flow chambers.
Kima Pump is also compatible with Flow Chambers (Connections required).
Nanoparticle Uptake Studies
Culture media is replaced with a Nanoparticle solution
Nanoparticle flow through the microchannels of the biochip using the Kima pump
Cellix worked on the development of a novel microfluidic biochip and assay development to enable researchers to investigate cellular uptake of nanoparticles in endothelial cells under defined shear stresses (flow rates) mimicking those found in vivo. Below are a sample of some of the results.
We aim to use the complementary state of the art imaging techniques to probe all aspects of the interaction of nanoparticles with cells, from determination of the initial portal of entry, to the formation of endosomes and the onward trafficking of the nanoparticles to their final sub -cellular localisations or exocytosis.
On a global level, the aim is to develop a panel of nanoparticle-based live cell markers for each of the stages of cell cycle, for use in quantitative assays in High Content Analysis, and as probes for disease or cell cycle disregulation in the longer term.
Kima Pump is also compatible with flow chambers (connectors required, contact Cellix for more information and advice).
So now you know the use of Kima Pump in Nanoparticle Uptake Studies and how it is beneficial. But, if you still have questions or want to learn more, check out our website, at wearecellix.com, or contact us at info@wearecellix.com.