UC San Diego

Microfluidics has been proven to be a valuable tool in the study of biological systems. The possibility for engineering microenvironments has allowed for more sensitive and specific studies. This dissertation discusses both novel methods for generating microenvironments and improvements of systems already produced in our laboratory. Chapter 2 discusses many different gradient-generating devices for exploring cellular activity. It begins with improved devices for generating spatial gradients of chemical factors. Devices for generating temporal gradients of chemical factors are discussed next, and finally devices for generating dissolved-gas concentration gradients are discussed. Devices discussed in this dissertation were employed in biological research as described in the text