What is the ibidi Pump System?

The ibidi Pump System is a precision air pressure-driven perfusion system designed to maintain physiologically relevant laminar flow conditions for cells cultured in ibidi channel slides. Using the ibidi Pump and a Fluidic Unit, it creates a closed, sterile fluid circuit that recirculates cell culture medium through the slide channel — enabling wall shear stress experiments that closely mimic in vivo blood vessel conditions. The included notebook with PumpControl Software provides full computerized control over flow type, rate, and shear stress throughout the experiment.

With no pulsation from mechanical pumping, the system is ideal for continuous long-term live-cell imaging on any inverted microscope or stage-top incubator. From a single Fluidic Unit controlling one channel slide to an expanded four-unit setup, the ibidi Pump System scales to meet the needs of any flow biology lab.

Key Features

• Physiological Flow Simulation: Generates unidirectional, pulsatile, and oscillatory laminar flow to replicate venous, arterial, and cardiac hemodynamic conditions in vitro.
• Wide Shear Stress Range: Covers approximately 0.01–200 dyn/cm² and flow rates of 0.04–50 ml/min — suitable for all tissue types and vascular settings.
• PumpControl Software: Automates flow programming with built-in shear stress, shear rate, and flow rate calculators for rapid experimental setup.
• Sterile Closed Circuit: Pinch valves keep only sterilized disposable tubing in contact with the medium, ensuring sterility is maintained from laminar flow hood to incubator.
• Microscopy-Compatible: Low-profile design fits directly on any inverted microscope stage; fully compatible with ibidi Stage Top Incubators for CO₂ and temperature control during imaging.
• Expandable Architecture: Start with one Fluidic Unit and expand to four — the same ibidi Pump controls all four units, giving you parallel experiment capability without additional hardware.
• Minimal Medium Volume: Working volumes of 2.5 ml, 12 ml, or 50 ml keep reagent consumption low even for long-duration perfusion experiments.

FAQ

What is the ibidi Pump System?

The ibidi Pump System is a microfluidic pressure-driven flow control system for applying laminar shear stress to cells cultured in ibidi µ-Slides. It uses air pressure to create a stable, pulsation-free recirculating flow, allowing physiologically relevant shear stress conditions to be maintained during live-cell imaging.

How is shear stress calculated for the ibidi Pump System?

Shear stress is calculated using the ibidi Shear Stress Calculator (freely available at ibidi.com), based on flow rate, channel dimensions, and fluid viscosity. The software converts desired shear stress values into pump pressure settings automatically.

What is the minimum and maximum shear stress range?

The ibidi Pump System supports shear stress values from approximately 0.1 dyn/cm² to over 100 dyn/cm², depending on the µ-Slide model and medium viscosity. Low values mimic venous conditions; higher values are appropriate for arterial or cardiac flow models.

Is the ibidi Pump System suitable for live-cell imaging?

Yes. The system is designed for use on an inverted microscope stage. Its compact, low-profile design allows unobstructed access to the µ-Slide, and the absence of pump-induced pulsation makes it well suited for high-resolution imaging during flow experiments.

How long can continuous flow experiments run?

The ibidi Pump System supports experiments lasting from minutes to several days. The closed-loop fluidic circuit maintains a constant medium reservoir, and the system is fully compatible with stage top incubators for temperature and CO2 control during long-term experiments.

Is the ibidi Pump System available and supported in Israel?

Yes. The ibidi Pump System is distributed and supported in Israel by NBT Ltd. Our team provides full guidance on shear stress protocols, slide selection, and microfluidic experimental setup for flow-based cell biology research.