This study demonstrates the importance of the hydrodynamic environment in microfluidic systems in quantitative cellular assays using live cells. Commonly applied flow conditions used in microfluidics were evaluated using the quantitative intracellular Ca2+ analysis of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as a model system. Above certain thresholds of shear stress, hydrodynamically induced intracellular Ca2+ fluxes were observed which mimic the responses induced by chemical stimuli, such as the agonist uridine 5'-triphosphate tris salt (UTP). This effect is of significance given the increasing application of microfluidic devices in high-throughput cellular analysis for biophysical applications and pharmacological screening.