Microfluidic device to suppress the division of large numbers of cyanobacteria

Organic compounds produced by the photosynthesis of cyanobacteria are mostly consumed for the cyanobacterial division. We propose a hypothesis that the suppression of the cyanobacterial division might make cyanobacteria mutate themselves, and mutated cyanobacteria might release the organic compounds from their bodies to survive. To verify the hypothesis, we have to detect the organic compounds released from the cyanobacteria. For this purpose, large numbers of cyanobacteria should be cultured under the suppression of the division. We develop a microfluidic device with hydraulically-actuated micro-pillar array to trap large numbers of cyanobacteria and medium supply to culture cyanobacteria under an appropriate cultural condition. Using the microfluidic device, cyanobacteria are trapped by the micro-pillar array, and cultured to hundreds of cyanobacteria inside the space surrounded by micro-pillars, which might suppress cyanobacterial division due to high density of cyanobacteria.