A Scalable Microfluidic Platform for Bacterial Cellulose Production and Characterization

: Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an attractive biomaterial due to its biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and tunable properties. However, there is a need for a rapid and cost-effective platform to screen BC synthesis processes and optimize culture conditions. This study focuses on the bacterium Komagataeibacter xylinus as a model system to explore BC production. Existing methods for studying BC synthesis often rely on traditional large bioreactors, which are resource-intensive and lack the precision needed for the high-throughput testing of culture parameters. Here, we propose a scalable microfluidic platform that enables real-time monitoring of cellulose fibril secretion via confocal microscopy, facilitating quantitative characterization of cellulose network properties. To validate the platform, we tested variable concentrations of yeast extract and glucose, two essential culture parameters known to affect BC production, using a gradient-mixing chamber integrated into the device. Structural analyses performed using both confocal and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant correlations between the nutrient concentration and BC ultrastructure. Specifically, we found that higher yeast extract concentrations result in denser and more compact matrices, whereas increased glucose levels produce more porous structures.