Figure 2

Left: Top-view phase contrast images of Caco-2 cells in the microchip in different days of cell culture. The results are shown for the microchips operated (a–c) under static conditions and (d–f) under 300 µl h⁻¹ flow rate. (g) Confocal microscopy image of the Caco-2 cells grown under 300 µl h⁻¹ flow rate on day 8. Dashed lines denote pillar boundaries, red dashed line shows location of y-z cross-section (inset right) (h) Glucose consumption rate of Caco-2 cells cultured inside the microchip over 21 days. Right: Top-view phase contrast microscopy images of live/dead assay bacteria co-culture operated (i) under 300 µl h⁻¹ flow rate without E. coli cells, (j) under 300 µl h 1⁻¹ flow rate with E. coli cells, (k) without fluid flow and without E. coli cells (l) without fluid flow with E. coli cells. The nuclei of Caco-2 cells were stained with DAPI (blue). Alive Caco-2 cells are shown in green and dead Caco-2 cells are shown in red colors. In (j and l) the dark cloudy appearance in the microchannels and the compartments is caused by E. coli colonies. All scale bars are 250 µm.