Fabrication of Circular Cross-section Microchannels with Stenosis via DLP 3D Printing and PDMS Membrane Inflation for Microfluidic Vascular Models.
| Title: | Fabrication of Circular Cross-section Microchannels with Stenosis via DLP 3D Printing and PDMS Membrane Inflation for Microfluidic Vascular Models. |
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| Authors: | Pham Do TH; School of Biomedical Engineering, International University; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.; Nguyen TD; School of Biomedical Engineering, International University; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.; Huynh K; School of Biomedical Engineering, International University; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.; Nguyen TQ; School of Biomedical Engineering, International University; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City; ntqua@hcmiu.edu.vn. |
| Source: | Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE [J Vis Exp] 2026 Mar 06 (229). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 06. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Video-Audio Media |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: MYJoVE Corporation Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101313252 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1940-087X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1940087X NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Vis Exp Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [Boston, Mass. : MYJoVE Corporation, 2006]- |
| MeSH Terms: | Dimethylpolysiloxanes*/chemistry ; Printing, Three-Dimensional*/instrumentation ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques*/methods ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques*/instrumentation ; Models, Cardiovascular*; Humans ; Computer-Aided Design |
| Abstract: | Microfluidic models mimicking the complex architecture of biological vessels require circular cross-sectional channels to accurately simulate hemodynamic conditions, shear stress, and cell behavior in native vasculature. Traditional soft lithography techniques typically yield rectangular channels, leading to non-physiological flow patterns and poor mimicry of the human circulatory system. Herein, we present an accessible hybrid fabrication method that integrates Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D-printed master molds with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane inflation technique to produce high-fidelity circular microchannels. The primary goal of this protocol is to provide a cleanroom-free strategy for creating biomimetic vascular models with tunable stenosis geometries. The proposed protocol comprises four essential stages: (1) Computer-Aided Design (CAD) of master molds incorporating a 10% height compensation to account for material shrinkage, (2) DLP 3D printing and post-processing of resin molds, (3) PDMS casting and oxygen plasma-assisted bonding to a thin elastic membrane, and (4) controlled pneumatic membrane inflation followed by a second PDMS casting to seal the circular structure. We demonstrated that this approach enables the precise tuning of channel diameters, which range from 300 µm to 1000 µm, by carefully modulating the internal inflation pressure. The performance of the resulting microchannels was evaluated through structural characterization, including cross-sectional circularity analysis, surface roughness measurement via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and pneumatic burst testing to ensure bonding stability. Our findings indicate that this method supports the accessible and reproducible fabrication of circular microchannels, offering a robust platform for future research in vascular physiology, thrombosis modeling, and drug screening applications. |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Dimethylpolysiloxanes); 63148-62-9 (baysilon) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260323 Date Completed: 20260323 Latest Revision: 20260327 |
| Update Code: | 20260328 |
| DOI: | 10.3791/69706 |
| PMID: | 41871017 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article; Video-Audio Media