Chitosan microfiber fabrication using a microfluidic chip and its application to cell cultures

In this study, a poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) microfluidic chip with a 45° cross-junction microchannel is fabricated using a CO 2 laser machine to generate chitosan microfibers. Chitosan solution and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) solution were injected into the cross-junction microchannel of the microfluidic chip. The laminar flow of the chitosan solution was generated by hydrodynamic focusing. The diameter of laminar flow, which ranged from 30 to 50 μm, was controlled by changing the ratio between chitosan solution and STPP solution flow rates in the PMMA microfluidic chip. The laminar flow of the chitosan solution was converted into chitosan microfibers with STPP solution via the cross-linking reaction; the diameter of chitosan microfibers was in the range of 50–200 μm. The chitosan microfibers were then coated with collagen for cell cultivation. The results show that the chitosan microfibers provide good growth conditions for cells. They could be used as a scaffold for cell cultures in tissue engineering applications. This novel method has advantages of ease of fabrication, simple and low-cost process.