Bubble-driven cell detachment.

Abstract

On-demand cell detachment is of great importance in various applications in biosensitive environments. Existing methods such as enzymatic treatments and mechanical scraping are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and harmful to cells. In this work, we demonstrate a method of detaching cells from substrates using electrochemical bubble generation without biocide generation. We demonstrate that shear stress generated by fluid flow beneath a rising bubble is the primary mechanism for cell detachment. This strategy, relying solely on physical forces and independent of cell or surface chemistry, can therefore work with a large range of the media, surfaces, and cells. We successfully implement this discovery at the lab-scale by designing a prototype for on-demand cell detachment that maintains high cell viability. The developed principle could find applications in high-throughput culture settings, such as algae photobioreactors or cell culture environments.