Microgels – A game changer in microfluidic single-cell analysis

Spatial bursts in nutrient availability, such as carbon or iron sources, are key drivers of spatiotemporal dynamics in microbial communities. Consequently, the position of individual cells and the resulting neighborhood effects ultimately have a significant impact on cellular growth outcomes. To date, these effects can be studied in a static environment using microfluidic single cell analysis. However, the natural environment of cells is dynamic. Therefore, complex microfluidic environments are required to mimic natural cell behavior. Dynamic control of environmental conditions, such as nutrient concentrations, allows more accurate replication and observation of physiological conditions. Structured environments within a microfluidic chip are therefore urgently needed to understand cellular behavior and interactions, such as iron homeostasis. Therefore, we developed a new approach allowing the integration of microgels inside of the microfluidic growth chambers, whose tunable structure can be used to incorporate and release nutrients and minerals such as iron and glucose in respond to different stimuli (e.g. microgel degrading enzymes), providing a versatile platform for structured microfluidic environments.