Key w = Wall Shear Stress

μ = Dynamic Viscosity

u/ y = Velocity Gradient

Q = Volumetric Flow Rate

b = Channel Width

h = Channel Height

Design Concept Complete System

Growth Chamber

1. Peristaltic Pump 2. Tubing 3. Barbed Fitting 4. Stopcock 5. Threaded Luer

6. Polycarbonate Lid 7. Growth Chamber 8. Scratch Guard 9. Glass Slides

10. Bolt/Nut 11. Growth Media 12. Media Reservoir 13. Lid 14. Syringe Filter

Conclusions

Final Product

• Dynamic flow chamber is mechanically and biologically sound

• Flow functionality of the device is compatible only with endothelial cell types

• Device is ready to be used in a teaching laboratory setting

Recommendations • Design of a standalone environmental chamber

in place of a laboratory incubator • Upgrade to a digital pump for more accurate

control of flow rates and shear stresses • Use of an alternate chamber material less

prone to deflection during precision machining to hold tighter tolerances

Theoretical Analysis

COMSOL Modeling of Wall Shear Stress COMSOL Modeling of Flow Rates in the Chamber

Wall Shear Stress

Between Parallel Plates

General Wall Shear Stress

Results

Oriented Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cells, 10x

Seeded Slide within Growth Chamber

1. 1” Bolts 2. Scratch Guard 3. Aluminum Body 4. Aluminum Insert

5. Slide Gaskets 6. Seeded Slides 7. Lid Gasket 8. Polycarbonate Lid

9. Washers 10. Wing Nuts 11. 3/4” Bolts

𝜏𝑤 = 𝜇𝜕𝑢

𝜕𝑦 𝜏𝑤 =

6𝜇𝑄

𝑏ℎ2

System Operating within an Incubator Cell Observation on Microscope

Engineering

Requirement

Number

Function Specification Unit of MeasureMarginal

Value

Ideal

ValueExp. Results

ER5 System Operation Shear Stress Dynes/cm2 0-20 <=20 10

ER9 Ease of Use Assembly Time Minutes <180 120 27.11

ER16 Functionality Cell Growth Cell Density 70%-100% 85% 85%

ER19 Cost Cost of Unit U.S. Dollars ≤1550 0 1000

Core Customer Criteria Customer

Requirement

Number

Customer Requirement Description

CR2 Maintain sterility of the system

CR5 Allows adjustment of flow rate for control of shear stress (0 to 20 dynes/cm^2)

CR7View cells under the following microscopes:

Fisher Scientific MicroMaster Cat. No.12-575-250, Leica DM IL LED Fluo, EVOS® XL AMEX1000.

CR8 System can be assembled in 30 min by a 3-5th year BME student

CR9 Necessary hardware can be run through the autoclave between uses

CR11 Ability to operate with endothelial cell types "CPA 47" and "BCE C/D-1b"

CR14 Maintain functionality within tolerances for minimum of 5 years

CR19 No part of the device can be cytotoxic

Team P15080 From left to right:

Collin Burkhart (ME), Sarah Tran (ME), Robert Repetti (BME), Katelyn Busse (BME), Michelle Garofalo (ME), Morgan Stoessel (BME)

Special Thanks to: Dr. Jennifer Bailey, Dr. Daniel Phillips, Gerald Garavuso,

the Brinkman Lab, and the Biomedical Engineering Department

Current cell culturing techniques used for education and research typically grow cells under static conditions. While this is suitable for some applications, it is not an accurate representation of how cells grow within the body. The purpose of this project is to design a system that allows cell culturing to be performed in a dynamic environment, better modeling cell growth under in vivo conditions.

Project Purpose