Visualization of red blood cells flowing through a PDMS microchannel with a microstenosis: An image analysis assessment

The microchannels containing the smooth contraction were produced in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using a standard soft-lithography technique from a SU-8 photoresist mold. The molds were prepared in a clean room facility by photolithography using a high-resolution chrome mask. The geometry of the fabricated microchannel is shown in Figure 1. The channel depth, h, was constant throughout the PDMS chip and the width of the upstream and downstream channels was the same, W1 = 50 μm. The minimum width in the contraction region is W2 = 10 μm.