Microfluidic cell culture

A kit for preparing a microfluidic device comprising:

• a microfluidic device comprising one or more discrete microfluidic circuits each configured to hold a fluid, the microfluidic circuit defined by an enclosure, the enclosure comprising:
• a base comprising a first material and having an inner surface;
• a microfluidic circuit structure comprising a second material and having an inner surface;
• and
• a cover comprising a third material and having an inner surface,
• wherein the inner surface of the base, the inner surface of the microfluidic circuit surface, and the inner surface of the cover each face an interior of at least one growth chamber of the one or more discrete microfluidic circuits and
• wherein the inner surfaces facing the interior of the growth chamber have a monolayer covalently attached thereto, wherein the monolayer comprises a linking group and a reactive moiety Rx configured to covalently link to a conditioning modification reagent for supporting cell growth, viability, portability, or any combination thereof within the at least one growth chamber, and further wherein each linking group of the monolayer of the inner surfaces facing the interior of the growth chamber is the same linking group;
• and
• modification reagent comprising a reactive pairing moiety Rpx configured to react with the reactive moiety Rx of the monolayer and a moiety for supporting cell growth, viability, portability, or any combination thereof.

A method of preparing a microfluidic device comprising:

• introducing a conditioning modification reagent comprising a moiety for supporting cell growth, viability, portability, or any combination thereof and a reactive pairing moiety Rpx into a microfluidic circuit of a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device comprising one or more discrete microfluidic circuits each configured to hold a fluid, the microfluidic circuit defined by an enclosure, the enclosure comprising:
• a base comprising a first material and having an inner surface;
• a microfluidic circuit structure comprising a second material and having an inner surface;
• and
• a cover comprising a third material and having an inner surface, wherein the inner surfaces of the base, microfluidic circuit structure and the cover each face an interior of at least one microfluidic circuit element of the one or more discrete microfluidic circuits, wherein the inner surfaces of the base, microfluidic circuit structure and the cover have a monolayer covalently attached thereto, wherein the monolayer comprises a linking group and a reactive moiety Rx configured to covalently link to the conditioning modification reagent within the at least one microfluidic circuit element, and further wherein each linking group of the monolayer of the inner surfaces of the base, microfluidic circuit structure and the cover is the same linking group;
• and
• covalently linking the reactive pairing moiety Rpx with the reactive moiety Rx thereby forming a conditioned surface monolayer on the inner surfaces of the base, microfluidic circuit structure and the cover of the at least one microfluidic circuit element,
• wherein the conditioned surface monolayer is configured to support cell growth, viability, portability, or any combination thereof within the microfluidic device.

A method for culturing at least one biological cell in a microfluidic device the method comprising:

• introducing at least one biological cell into a growth chamber of a microfluidic device, the growth chamber having a surface conditioned to support cell growth, viability, portability, or any combination thereof,
• wherein the microfluidic device comprises a discrete microfluidic circuit configured to contain a flow of a first fluidic medium, the discrete microfluidic circuit comprising a fluid inlet port, the at least one growth chamber, and a flow region connecting the fluid inlet port with the at least one growth chamber;
• incubating the at least one biological cell in the microfluidic device for a period of time long enough to expand the at least one biological cell to produce a colony of biological cells;
• and
• non-continuously perfusing the first fluidic medium through the flow region during the incubating step.