An Improved In vitro Cell-Shearing Device for Applying High Shear Stress impulse on Cells

Fluid shear stress on single layer cells has been used in many studies that aimed to understand the mechanisms of mechanical cell injury. One of the in vitro models to generate shear stress is the cone-and-plate flow chamber, containing a rotating conical surface and a stationary flat surface. The existing controlled cell shearing device (CCSD) is able to perform controlled shear stress and to allow real-time cell monitoring. However, it requires complicated calibrating procedures and lacks set-up accuracy for operation. The goal of the thesis is to design an improved cell-shearing device that is more user-friendly and accurate. The design is based on analyses of fluid mechanics to estimate the formed shear stress on cells, with precise structures and dimensions of the device. The new designed device contains a simple cone-and-plate system assemble and a programmable microstepper motor. Compared with the CCSD, the new device can be calibrated with simpler procedures and tools; has a more accurate alignment between the cone and the plate; and uses a securer adhesive approach to hold the cell cultured coverslips on the plate. As a final step, we will test the new device with cells and to find the optimum setting ranges for various purposes of studies on fluid shear stress induced mechanical cell injury.%%%%M.S., Biomedical Engineering  – Drexel University, 2016