LOCAL OXYGEN LEVEL IS DENSITY DEPENDENT IN MICROCHANNEL CULTURE

We present a measurement method of oxygen levels around cells cultured in a microchannel. Micro-scale silicate beads immobilised with Pt(II) octaethylporphine were used to measure the oxygen levels. Measurement of oxygen level was achieved by seeding beads near cells and observating the fluorescence emitted from the beads with a standard microscope. We demonstrated that the oxygen level approached physiologic levels as cell density increased to 400 cells/mm 2 .