Buried microfluidic channel for integrated patch-clamping assay

摘要

The authors present a microfluidic device towards an integrated patch-clamping assay. The device replaces conventional glass patch pipette with a buried microfluidic channel on silicon substrate. The microchannel fabrication involves reforming doped glass under heat and pressure, a process, in principle, analogous to the heat-pulling/polishing of glass patch pipettes. Unlike etching substrate, this process leaves a smooth glass surface for seal formation with cell membrane. The microchannel is evolved from a trapped void inside the trench during nonconformal deposition of the doped glass. The results of seal formation with mammalian cells captured at such microchannel opening are presented.