Finite element modelling of microphysiometry on cellular specimen

Abstract

Cell or living tissues are cultured in microreaction chambers. Cell metabolic rates are monitored in real time with electric or optic microsensors for pH value and dissolved oxygen operating within these chambers. One of the most important application areas is the improvement of cancer treatment by in-vitro analyzing the individual chemosensitivity profiles prior to the application of chemotherapy. However, in a clinical setting any in-vitro diagnostic approach requires strict measures of data quality control. In order to identify operational faults in sensor readings, the signals were simulated in a 3-D finite element model (FEM) of diffusion. The program chosen was COMSOL. The model is not only used for the filtering of false data but also for the analysis of material effects (e.g. gas diffusion and absorption through polymers), for optimising the microchamber geometry and for investigating the kinetics of cell metabolism within different distributions of cell densities. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.