由於幹細胞為目前被公認為可以分化成特定細胞的能力，因此在組織工程或再生醫學的應用或研究上逐漸受到重視，但因幹細胞分化容易受到外在環境所影響，而傳統實驗裝置由於對培養環境的控制較差因此在臨床應用或實驗研究稍嫌不足。而近年來發展的微流體晶片系統因其裝置微型化可降低實驗所需的藥劑量且可以模擬體內的微環境、可以進行自動化的控制、搭配即時監控系統、可精準控制的微環境並進行多種刺激等優勢，因此利用在幹細胞的研究上可以說是相當具有潛力。 本研究目的在於設計出可在同一晶片中進行多重應力刺激的微流體晶片，而目前先以設計出可進行多項相同剪應力刺激的微流體晶片裝置，利用流道設計可在實驗中建構多個相似的培養環境並進行相同的剪應力刺激實驗，將培養大鼠骨髓幹細胞(Rat bone marrow stem cells，RM)投以IBMX藥劑讓幹細胞成功分化為神經細胞，也搭配10分鐘不同總流率(0.042 μL/min、1μL/min與15μL/min)含藥與不含藥的流場剪應力刺激，並在刺激後的10個小時內觀察細胞分化情形，發現到有應力刺激的條件下可使細胞的分化時間提前並且也可增加其分化效率，而且於本實驗中也成功製做出可進行正向應力刺激的微流體晶片。 It is well recognized that stem cells have the ability to genetically differentiate into a specific cell type for promising applications such as tissue engineering or cell therapy. Stem cell is sensitive to the environment during the process of differentiation, so the experimental equipment in traditional that can't well controlled the cell culture environment isn't appropriate for stem cells research. Microfluidic techniques have been recently developed for well controlled the cell culture environment. In microfluidic systems, the objective is for these microenvironments to mimic in vivo surroundings. With advantageous characteristics such as optical transparency and the capability for automating protocols, different types of cells can be cultured, screened, and monitored in real time to systematically investigate their morphology and functions under well-controlled microenvironments in response to various stimuli. The microfluidic chips have the great potential in the stem cell research. The purpose of this study is designing a chip for multiple different stress stimuli microfluidic chip, first we design a chip for multiple same stress stimuli microfluidic chip which is similar to provide multiple culture environment. We also use IBMX induce the RMs differentiate to neuron cell. We also do temporary fluid flow stimulation with or without IBMX under the various rate at 0.042, 1, 15 μL/min, respectively. The results show that fluid flow stimuli not only facilitate RMs to differentiate toward neuronal cells but also shorten the differentiation time. In this study, we also successfully made microfluidic chips for positive stress stimulus.
