The VersaLive platform enables microfluidic mammalian cell culture for versatile applications

Microfluidic-based cell culture allows for precise spatio-temporal regulation of micro-environment, live cell imaging and better recapitulation of physiological conditions, while minimizing reagents' consumption. Despite their usefulness, most microfluidic systems are designed with one specific application in mind and usually require specialized equipment and expertise for their operation. All these requirements prevent microfluidic-based cell culture to be widely adopted. Here, we designed and implemented a versatile and easy-to-use perfusion cell culture microfluidic platform for multiple applications (VersaLive) requiring only standard pipettes. Here, we showcase the multiple uses of VersaLive (e.g., time-lapse live cell imaging, immunostaining, cell recovery, cell lysis, plasmid transfection) in mammalian cell lines and primary cells. VersaLive could replace standard cell culture formats in several applications, thus decreasing costs and increasing reproducibility across laboratories. The layout, documentation and protocols are open-source and available online at https://versalive.tigem.it/.

Automated summary

Microfluidic-based cell culture allows for precise control of micro-environment, with broad potential applications. However, existing microfluidic systems are often designed for specific applications and require specialized equipment and expertise. In this study, we developed a versatile and user-friendly cell culture microfluidic platform called VersaLive, which can replace traditional cell culture formats, reducing costs and improving reproducibility across laboratories.