抄録
In this study, we have proposed a microfluidic platform which generates an oxygen concentration gradient in a micro environment for reproducing the hepatic lobule structure. The platform consists of a PDMS chip with a Y-shaped microchannel and a glass substrate on which mouse hepatocytes are cultured. By the laminar flow effect, the zonation constructed in vivo liver is reproduced with media of different oxygen concentrations in the device. To evaluate the device, FEM simulation and an experiment for evaluation flow in the channel were carried out to determine the relationship between the flow rate and the diffusion region. Moreover, the mouse primary hepatocytes ware cultured using the device. As a result, it was confirmed that it is possible to change the concentration gradient by changing the flow rate, and the hepatocytes could be cultured successfully.
