Microfluidic device for cell culture monitoring

Abstract

A microfluidic device () is disclosed for in-process monitoring of cell culture conditions including for example one or more of: cell density; cell viability; secreted proteins; protein analysis; epitope markers; concentrations of metabolites or nutrients and antigenic determinations; the device comprising: a cell inlet path (); plural fluid reservoirs () in fluid communication with the cell input path, a cell analysis area () in fluid communication with the path and reservoirs, and a waste storage volume () also in fluid communication with the cell analysis area, the device being operable to cause a primary fluid flow along the inlet path to the analysis area, and to selectively cause secondary fluid flow(s) into the path from none, one or more of the selected reservoirs to combine, if one or more of the reservoirs are selected, with the primary fluid flow from the cell inlet path, in each case for analysis at the cell analysis area, the device being further operable to cause a fluid flow of the primary and any combined secondary flows from the cell analysis area into the waste storage volume.