Automatic Pretreatment for In-Situ Cryopreservation of Single Stem Cells Based on Microfluidic Droplet Manipulatio

摘要

The pretreatment for stem cell cryopreservation process is still dominated by traditional manual operation which heavily depends on personal proficiency. Targeting on standardization, automation and low-cost, we propose an automatic cryopreservation pretreatment method using planar microfluidic chips featured with super-hydrophobic surfaces. The super-hydrophobic structure enabled the ultra-low adhesion between the droplet and the substrate, which also enabled facile and efficient exchange of liquid and ultra-low residue. The droplet was precisely manipulated by the automatic equipment to reduce the risks of cell damage, contamination, loss and osmotic shock caused by manual operations. Successful cryopreservation has been demonstrated using this technique.