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Viola HL, Vasani V, Washington K, Lee JH, Selva C, Li A, Llorente CJ, Murayama Y, Grotberg JB, Romanò F, Takayama S. Liquid plug propagation in computer-controlled microfluidic airway-on-a-chip with semi-circular microchannels. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:197-209. [PMID: 38093669 PMCID: PMC10842925 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00957b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
This paper introduces a two-inlet, one-outlet lung-on-a-chip device with semi-circular cross-section microchannels and computer-controlled fluidic switching that enables a broader systematic investigation of liquid plug dynamics in a manner relevant to the distal airways. A leak-proof bonding protocol for micro-milled devices facilitates channel bonding and culture of confluent primary small airway epithelial cells. Production of liquid plugs with computer-controlled inlet channel valving and just one outlet allows more stable long-term plug generation and propagation compared to previous designs. The system also captures both plug speed and length as well as pressure drop concurrently. In one demonstration, the system reproducibly generates surfactant-containing liquid plugs, a challenging process due to lower surface tension that makes the plug formation less stable. The addition of surfactant decreases the pressure required to initiate plug propagation, a potentially significant effect in diseases where surfactant in the airways is absent or dysfunctional. Next, the device recapitulates the effect of increasing fluid viscosity, a challenging analysis due to higher resistance of viscous fluids that makes plug formation and propagation more difficult particularly in airway-relevant length scales. Experimental results show that increased fluid viscosity decreases plug propagation speed for a given air flow rate. These findings are supplemented by computational modeling of viscous plug propagation that demonstrates increased plug propagation time, increased maximum wall shear stress, and greater pressure differentials in more viscous conditions of plug propagation. These results match physiology as mucus viscosity is increased in various obstructive lung diseases where it is known that respiratory mechanics can be compromised due to mucus plugging of the distal airways. Finally, experiments evaluate the effect of channel geometry on primary human small airway epithelial cell injury in this lung-on-a-chip. There is more injury in the middle of the channel relative to the edges highlighting the role of channel shape, a physiologically relevant parameter as airway cross-sectional geometry can also be non-circular. In sum, this paper describes a system that pushes the device limits with regards to the types of liquid plugs that can be stably generated for studies of distal airway fluid mechanical injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Viola
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Vishwa Vasani
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Kendra Washington
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Cauviya Selva
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Andrea Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Carlos J Llorente
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Yoshinobu Murayama
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, College of Engineering, Nihon University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - James B Grotberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Francesco Romanò
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, ONERA, Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, Centrale Lille, FRE 2017-LMFL-Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides de Lille - Kampé de Fériet, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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2
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Viola HL, Vasani V, Washington K, Lee JH, Selva C, Li A, Llorente CJ, Murayama Y, Grotberg JB, Romanò F, Takayama S. Liquid plug propagation in computer-controlled microfluidic airway-on-a-chip with semi-circular microchannels. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.24.542177. [PMID: 37292706 PMCID: PMC10245866 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.542177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This paper introduces a two-inlet, one-outlet lung-on-a-chip device with semi-circular cross-section microchannels and computer-controlled fluidic switching that enables a broader systematic investigation of liquid plug dynamics in a manner relevant to the distal airways. A leak-proof bonding protocol for micro-milled devices facilitates channel bonding and culture of confluent primary small airway epithelial cells. Production of liquid plugs with computer-controlled inlet channel valving and just one outlet allows more stable long-term plug generation and propagation compared to previous designs. The system also captures both plug speed and length as well as pressure drop concurrently. In one demonstration, the system reproducibly generates surfactant-containing liquid plugs, a challenging process due to lower surface tension that makes the plug formation less stable. The addition of surfactant decreases the pressure required to initiate plug propagation, a potentially significant effect in diseases where surfactant in the airways is absent or dysfunctional. Next, the device recapitulates the effect of increasing fluid viscosity, a challenging analysis due to higher resistance of viscous fluids that makes plug formation and propagation more difficult particularly in airway-relevant length scales. Experimental results show that increased fluid viscosity decreases plug propagation speed for a given air flow rate. These findings are supplemented by computational modeling of viscous plug propagation that demonstrate increased plug propagation time, increased maximum wall shear stress, and greater pressure differentials in more viscous conditions of plug propagation. These results match physiology as mucus viscosity is increased in various obstructive lung diseases where it is known that respiratory mechanics can be compromised due to mucus plugging of the distal airways. Finally, experiments evaluate the effect of channel geometry on primary human small airway epithelial cell injury in this lung-on-a-chip. There is more injury in the middle of the channel relative to the edges highlighting the role of channel shape, a physiologically relevant parameter as airway cross-sectional geometry can also be non-circular. In sum, this paper describes a system that pushes the device limits with regards to the types of liquid plugs that can be stably generated for studies of distal airway fluid mechanical injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Viola
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Vishwa Vasani
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Kendra Washington
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Cauviya Selva
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Andrea Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
| | - Carlos J Llorente
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA, 48824
| | - Yoshinobu Murayama
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, College of Engineering, Nihon University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - James B Grotberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, 48109
| | - Francesco Romanò
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, ONERA, Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, Centrale Lille, FRE 2017 -LMFL-Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides de Lille - Kampé de Fériet, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30332
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3
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Derman ID, Singh YP, Saini S, Nagamine M, Banerjee D, Ozbolat IT. Bioengineering and Clinical Translation of Human Lung and its Components. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200267. [PMID: 36658734 PMCID: PMC10121779 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Clinical lung transplantation has rapidly established itself as the gold standard of treatment for end-stage lung diseases in a restricted group of patients since the first successful lung transplant occurred. Although significant progress has been made in lung transplantation, there are still numerous obstacles on the path to clinical success. The development of bioartificial lung grafts using patient-derived cells may serve as an alternative treatment modality; however, challenges include developing appropriate scaffold materials, advanced culture strategies for lung-specific multiple cell populations, and fully matured constructs to ensure increased transplant lifetime following implantation. This review highlights the development of tissue-engineered tracheal and lung equivalents over the past two decades, key problems in lung transplantation in a clinical environment, the advancements made in scaffolds, bioprinting technologies, bioreactors, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip technologies. The review aims to fill the lacuna in existing literature toward a holistic bioartificial lung tissue, including trachea, capillaries, airways, bifurcating bronchioles, lung disease models, and their clinical translation. Herein, the efforts are on bridging the application of lung tissue engineering methods in a clinical environment as it is thought that tissue engineering holds enormous promise for overcoming the challenges associated with the clinical translation of bioengineered human lung and its components.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. Deniz Derman
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yogendra Pratap Singh
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Shweta Saini
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, India
| | - Momoka Nagamine
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University; University Park, PA,16802, USA
| | - Dishary Banerjee
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Ibrahim T. Ozbolat
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Materials Research Institute, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Cancer Institute, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Neurosurgery Department, Penn State University; University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
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4
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Chernokal B, Gonyea CR, Gleghorn JP. Lung Development in a Dish: Models to Interrogate the Cellular Niche and the Role of Mechanical Forces in Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1413:29-48. [PMID: 37195525 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26625-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, emphasis has been placed on recapitulating in vitro the architecture and multicellular interactions found in organs in vivo [1, 2]. Whereas traditional reductionist approaches to in vitro models enable teasing apart the precise signaling pathways, cellular interactions, and response to biochemical and biophysical cues, model systems that incorporate higher complexity are needed to ask questions about physiology and morphogenesis at the tissue scale. Significant advancements have been made in establishing in vitro models of lung development to understand cell-fate specification, gene regulatory networks, sexual dimorphism, three-dimensional organization, and how mechanical forces interact to drive lung organogenesis [3-5]. In this chapter, we highlight recent advances in the rapid development of various lung organoids, organ-on-a-chip models, and whole lung ex vivo explant models currently used to dissect the roles of these cellular signals and mechanical cues in lung development and potential avenues for future investigation (Fig. 3.1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brea Chernokal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Cailin R Gonyea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Jason P Gleghorn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
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5
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Asadi Jozani K, Kouthouridis S, Hirota JA, Zhang B. Next generation preclinical models of lung development, physiology and disease. CAN J CHEM ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cjce.24581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kimia Asadi Jozani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Sonya Kouthouridis
- Department of Chemical Engineering McMaster University Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Jeremy Alexander Hirota
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology McMaster University Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Boyang Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering McMaster University Hamilton Ontario Canada
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6
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Sznitman J. Revisiting Airflow and Aerosol Transport Phenomena in the Deep Lungs with Microfluidics. Chem Rev 2021; 122:7182-7204. [PMID: 34964615 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of respiratory airflows and the associated transport mechanisms of inhaled aerosols characteristic of the deep regions of the lungs are of broad interest in assessing both respiratory health risks and inhalation therapy outcomes. In the present review, we present a comprehensive discussion of our current understanding of airflow and aerosol transport phenomena that take place within the unique and complex anatomical environment of the deep lungs, characterized by submillimeter 3D alveolated airspaces and nominally slow resident airflows, known as low-Reynolds-number flows. We exemplify the advances brought forward by experimental efforts, in conjunction with numerical simulations, to revisit past mechanistic theories of respiratory airflow and particle transport in the distal acinar regions. Most significantly, we highlight how microfluidic-based platforms spanning the past decade have accelerated opportunities to deliver anatomically inspired in vitro solutions that capture with sufficient realism and accuracy the leading mechanisms governing both respiratory airflow and aerosol transport at true scale. Despite ongoing challenges and limitations with microfabrication techniques, the efforts witnessed in recent years have provided previously unattainable in vitro quantifications on the local transport properties in the deep pulmonary acinar airways. These may ultimately provide new opportunities to explore improved strategies of inhaled drug delivery to the deep acinar regions by investigating further the mechanistic interactions between airborne particulate carriers and respiratory airflows at the pulmonary microscales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Sznitman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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7
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Wang D, Cong Y, Deng Q, Han X, Zhang S, Zhao L, Luo Y, Zhang X. Physiological and Disease Models of Respiratory System Based on Organ-on-a-Chip Technology. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12091106. [PMID: 34577749 PMCID: PMC8467891 DOI: 10.3390/mi12091106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of respiratory diseases is complex, and its occurrence and development also involve a series of pathological processes. The present research methods are have difficulty simulating the natural developing state of the disease in the body, and the results cannot reflect the real growth state and function in vivo. The development of microfluidic chip technology provides a technical platform for better research on respiratory diseases. The size of its microchannel can be similar to the space for cell growth in vivo. In addition, organ-on-a-chip can achieve long-term co-cultivation of multiple cells and produce precisely controllable fluid shear force, periodically changing mechanical force, and perfusate with varying solute concentration gradient. To sum up, the chip can be used to analyze the specific pathophysiological changes of organs meticulously, and it is widely used in scientific research on respiratory diseases. The focus of this review is to describe and discuss current studies of artificial respiratory systems based on organ-on-a-chip technology and to summarize their applications in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (D.W.); (Q.D.); (X.H.)
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Second Medical School, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Ye Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Quanfeng Deng
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (D.W.); (Q.D.); (X.H.)
| | - Xiahe Han
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (D.W.); (Q.D.); (X.H.)
| | - Suonan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Second Medical School, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +86-138-4116-9035 (X.Z.)
| | - Yong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China; (Y.C.); (S.Z.)
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +86-138-4116-9035 (X.Z.)
| | - Xiuli Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (D.W.); (Q.D.); (X.H.)
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (Y.L.); (X.Z.); Tel.: +86-138-4116-9035 (X.Z.)
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8
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Artzy-Schnirman A, Arber Raviv S, Doppelt Flikshtain O, Shklover J, Korin N, Gross A, Mizrahi B, Schroeder A, Sznitman J. Advanced human-relevant in vitro pulmonary platforms for respiratory therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 176:113901. [PMID: 34331989 PMCID: PMC7611797 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past years, advanced in vitro pulmonary platforms have witnessed exciting developments that are pushing beyond traditional preclinical cell culture methods. Here, we discuss ongoing efforts in bridging the gap between in vivo and in vitro interfaces and identify some of the bioengineering challenges that lie ahead in delivering new generations of human-relevant in vitro pulmonary platforms. Notably, in vitro strategies using foremost lung-on-chips and biocompatible "soft" membranes have focused on platforms that emphasize phenotypical endpoints recapitulating key physiological and cellular functions. We review some of the most recent in vitro studies underlining seminal therapeutic screens and translational applications and open our discussion to promising avenues of pulmonary therapeutic exploration focusing on liposomes. Undeniably, there still remains a recognized trade-off between the physiological and biological complexity of these in vitro lung models and their ability to deliver assays with throughput capabilities. The upcoming years are thus anticipated to see further developments in broadening the applicability of such in vitro systems and accelerating therapeutic exploration for drug discovery and translational medicine in treating respiratory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arbel Artzy-Schnirman
- Department of Biomedical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Sivan Arber Raviv
- Department of Chemical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Jeny Shklover
- Department of Chemical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Netanel Korin
- Department of Biomedical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Adi Gross
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Boaz Mizrahi
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Avi Schroeder
- Department of Chemical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Josué Sznitman
- Department of Biomedical, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel.
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9
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Shrestha J, Razavi Bazaz S, Aboulkheyr Es H, Yaghobian Azari D, Thierry B, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Ghadiri M. Lung-on-a-chip: the future of respiratory disease models and pharmacological studies. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2020; 40:213-230. [PMID: 31906727 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2019.1710458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recently, organ-on-a-chip models, which are microfluidic devices that mimic the cellular architecture and physiological environment of an organ, have been developed and extensively investigated. The chips can be tailored to accommodate the disease conditions pertaining to many organs; and in the case of this review, the lung. Lung-on-a-chip models result in a more accurate reflection compared to conventional in vitro models. Pharmaceutical drug testing methods traditionally use animal models in order to evaluate pharmacological and toxicological responses to a new agent. However, these responses do not directly reflect human physiological responses. In this review, current and future applications of the lung-on-a-chip in the respiratory system will be discussed. Furthermore, the limitations of current conventional in vitro models used for respiratory disease modeling and drug development will be addressed. Highlights of additional translational aspects of the lung-on-a-chip will be discussed in order to demonstrate the importance of this subject for medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Shrestha
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sajad Razavi Bazaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | - Benjamin Thierry
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio and Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Australia
| | - Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maliheh Ghadiri
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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10
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A Three-Dimensional Model of Human Lung Airway Tree to Study Therapeutics Delivery in the Lungs. Ann Biomed Eng 2019; 47:1435-1445. [PMID: 30859435 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-019-02242-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Surfactant instillation into the lungs is used to treat several respiratory disorders such as neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). The success of the treatments significantly depends on the uniformity of distribution of the instilled surfactant in airways. This is challenging to directly evaluate due to the inaccessibility of lung airways and great difficulty with imaging them. To tackle this problem, we developed a 3D physical model of human lung airway tree. Using a defined set of principles, we first generated computational models of eight generations of neonates' tracheobronchial tree comprising the conducting zone airways. Similar to native lungs, these models contained continuously-branching airways that rotated in the 3D space and reduced in size with increase in the generation number. Then, we used additive manufacturing to generate physical airway tree models that precisely replicated the computational designs. We demonstrated the utility of the physical models to study surfactant delivery in the lungs and showed the effect of orientation of the airway tree in the gravitational field on the distribution of instilled surfactant between the left and right lungs and within each lung. Our 3D lung airway tree model offers a novel tool for quantitative studies of therapeutics delivery.
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11
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Abstract
Micro and nanotechnology can potentially revolutionize drug delivery systems. Novel microfluidic systems have been employed for the cell culture applications and drug delivery by micro and nanocarriers. Cells in the microchannels are under static and dynamic flow perfusion of culture media that provides nutrition and removes waste from the cells. This exerts hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces on the cells. These forces can considerably affect the functions of the living cells. In this paper, we simulated the flow of air, culture medium, and the particle transport and deposition in the microchannels under different angles of connection inlet. It was found that the shear stress induced by the medium culture flow is not so high to damage the cells and that it is roughly uniform in the cell culture section (CCS). However, the local shear stresses in the other parts of the microchip differ by changing the angles of the connection inlet. The results showed that the particle deposition was a function of the particle size, the properties of the fluid, and the flow rate. At a lower air flow rate, both small and large particles deposited in the entrance region and none of them reached the CCS. Once the airflow rate increased, the drag of the flow could overcome the diffusion of the small particles and deliver them to the CCS so that more than 88% of the 100 nm and 98% of the 200 nm particles deposited in the CCS. However, larger particles with average diameters in micrometers could not reach the CCS by the airflow even at high flow rate. In contrast, our findings indicated that both small and large particles could be delivered to the CCS by liquid flow. Our experimental data confirm that microparticles (with diameters of 5 and 20 μm) suspended in a liquid can reach the CCS at a well-adjusted flow rate. Consequently, a liquid carrier is suggested to transport large particles through microchannels. As a powerful tool, these numerical simulations provide a nearly complete understanding of the flow field and particle patterns in microchips which can significantly lower the trial and error in the experiment tests and accordingly save researchers considerable cost and time for drug delivery to the cell in the microchip by micro/nanocarriers.
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12
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Effect of protein adsorption on the radial wicking of blood droplets in paper. J Colloid Interface Sci 2018; 528:116-123. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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13
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Copploe A, Vatani M, Amini R, Choi JW, Tavana H. Engineered Airway Models to Study Liquid Plug Splitting at Bifurcations: Effects of Orientation and Airway Size. J Biomech Eng 2018; 140:2683661. [PMID: 30029232 DOI: 10.1115/1.4040456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Delivery of biological fluids, such as surfactant solutions, into lungs is a major strategy to treat respiratory disorders including respiratory distress syndrome that is caused by insufficient or dysfunctional natural lung surfactant. The instilled solution forms liquid plugs in lung airways. The plugs propagate downstream in airways by inspired air or ventilation, continuously split at airway bifurcations to smaller daughter plugs, simultaneously lose mass from their trailing menisci, and eventually rupture. A uniform distribution of the instilled biofluid in lung airways is expected to increase the treatments success. The uniformity of distribution of instilled liquid in the lungs greatly depends on the splitting of liquid plugs between daughter airways, especially in the first few generations from which airways of different lobes of lungs emerge. To mechanistically understand this process, we developed a bioengineering approach to computationally design three-dimensional bifurcating airway models using morphometric data of human lungs, fabricate physical models, and examine dynamics of liquid plug splitting. We found that orientation of bifurcating airways has a major effect on the splitting of liquid plugs between daughter airways. Changing the relative gravitational orientation of daughter tubes with respect to the horizontal plane caused a more asymmetric splitting of liquid plugs. Increasing the propagation speed of plugs partially counteracted this effect. Using airway models of smaller dimensions reduced the asymmetry of plug splitting. This work provides a step toward developing delivery strategies for uniform distribution of therapeutic fluids in the lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Copploe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325
| | - Morteza Vatani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325
| | - Rouzbeh Amini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325
| | - Jae-Won Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, 260 S. Forge St., Akron, OH 44325 e-mail:
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14
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Song JW, Paek J, Park KT, Seo J, Huh D. A bioinspired microfluidic model of liquid plug-induced mechanical airway injury. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:042211. [PMID: 29887935 PMCID: PMC5973896 DOI: 10.1063/1.5027385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Occlusion of distal airways due to mucus plugs is a key pathological feature common to a wide variety of obstructive pulmonary diseases. Breathing-induced movement of airway mucus plugs along the respiratory tract has been shown to generate abnormally large mechanical stresses, acting as an insult that can incite acute injury to the airway epithelium. Here, we describe a unique microengineering strategy to model this pathophysiological process using a bioinspired microfluidic device. Our system combines an air-liquid interface culture of primary human small airway epithelial cells with a microengineered biomimetic platform to replicate the process of mucus exudation induced by airway constriction that leads to the formation of mucus plugs across the airway lumen. Specifically, we constructed a compartmentalized three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic device in which extracellular matrix hydrogel scaffolds reminiscent of airway stroma were compressed to discharge fluid into the airway compartment and form liquid plugs. We demonstrated that this plug formation process and subsequent movement of liquid plugs through the airway channel can be regulated in a precisely controlled manner. Furthermore, we examined the detrimental effect of plug propagation on the airway epithelium to simulate acute epithelial injury during airway closure. Our system allows for a novel biomimetic approach to modeling a complex and dynamic biophysical microenvironment of diseased human airways and may serve as an enabling platform for mechanistic investigation of key disease processes that drive the progression and exacerbation of obstructive pulmonary diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. Song
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Jungwook Paek
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Kyu-Tae Park
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | | | - Dongeun Huh
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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15
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Tenenbaum-Katan J, Artzy-Schnirman A, Fishler R, Korin N, Sznitman J. Biomimetics of the pulmonary environment in vitro: A microfluidics perspective. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:042209. [PMID: 29887933 PMCID: PMC5973897 DOI: 10.1063/1.5023034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The entire luminal surface of the lungs is populated with a complex yet confluent, uninterrupted airway epithelium in conjunction with an extracellular liquid lining layer that creates the air-liquid interface (ALI), a critical feature of healthy lungs. Motivated by lung disease modelling, cytotoxicity studies, and drug delivery assessments amongst other, in vitro setups have been traditionally conducted using macroscopic cultures of isolated airway cells under submerged conditions or instead using transwell inserts with permeable membranes to model the ALI architecture. Yet, such strategies continue to fall short of delivering a sufficiently realistic physiological in vitro airway environment that cohesively integrates at true-scale three essential pillars: morphological constraints (i.e., airway anatomy), physiological conditions (e.g., respiratory airflows), and biological functionality (e.g., cellular makeup). With the advent of microfluidic lung-on-chips, there have been tremendous efforts towards designing biomimetic airway models of the epithelial barrier, including the ALI, and leveraging such in vitro scaffolds as a gateway for pulmonary disease modelling and drug screening assays. Here, we review in vitro platforms mimicking the pulmonary environment and identify ongoing challenges in reconstituting accurate biological airway barriers that still widely prevent microfluidic systems from delivering mainstream assays for the end-user, as compared to macroscale in vitro cell cultures. We further discuss existing hurdles in scaling up current lung-on-chip designs, from single airway models to more physiologically realistic airway environments that are anticipated to deliver increasingly meaningful whole-organ functions, with an outlook on translational and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna Tenenbaum-Katan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Arbel Artzy-Schnirman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Rami Fishler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Netanel Korin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Josué Sznitman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
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16
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Benam KH. Disrupting Experimental Strategies for Inhalation Toxicology: The Emergence of Microengineered Breathing-Smoking Human Lung-on-a-Chip. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1089/aivt.2017.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kambez H. Benam
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado
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17
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Bagheri Z, Ehtesabi H, Hallaji Z, Aminoroaya N, Tavana H, Behroodi E, Rahimifard M, Abdollahi M, Latifi H. On-chip analysis of carbon dots effect on yeast replicative lifespan. Anal Chim Acta 2018; 1033:119-127. [PMID: 30172317 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs) are promising nanomaterials for biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery due to their large surface area, excellent optical properties, and thermal and chemical stability. However, biosafety of CDs is still understudied, and there is not a generally accepted standard to evaluate the toxicity of CDs. We present a gradient network generator microfluidic device for dose-dependent testing of toxicity of CDs to a unicellular eukaryotic model organism, yeast Pichia pastoris. We fully characterized the microfluidic model and compare its performance with a conventional method. The gradient generator increased the contact area between the mixing species and enabled a high-throughput testing of CDs in a wide range of concentrations in cell chambers. Real time monitoring of yeast cell proliferation in the presence of CDs showed dose-dependent growth inhibition and various budding cell shape profiles. Comparing the result of microfluidic platform and conventional method revealed statistically significant differences in the proliferation rate of the cells between the two platforms. To understand the toxicity mechanism, we studied binding of CDs to P. pastoris and found increasing interactions of CDs with the cell surface at CDs larger concentrations. This study demonstrated the utility of the gradient generator microfluidic device as a convenient tool for toxicity assessment of nanomaterials at a cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Bagheri
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamide Ehtesabi
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Hallaji
- Protein Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran
| | - Neda Aminoroaya
- Laser & Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44236, USA
| | - Ebrahim Behroodi
- Laser & Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahban Rahimifard
- The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Abdollahi
- The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Latifi
- Laser & Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran.
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18
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Blume C, Reale R, Held M, Millar TM, Collins JE, Davies DE, Morgan H, Swindle EJ. Temporal Monitoring of Differentiated Human Airway Epithelial Cells Using Microfluidics. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139872. [PMID: 26436734 PMCID: PMC4593539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The airway epithelium is exposed to a variety of harmful agents during breathing and appropriate cellular responses are essential to maintain tissue homeostasis. Recent evidence has highlighted the contribution of epithelial barrier dysfunction in the development of many chronic respiratory diseases. Despite intense research efforts, the responses of the airway barrier to environmental agents are not fully understood, mainly due to lack of suitable in vitro models that recapitulate the complex in vivo situation accurately. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we describe a novel dynamic 3D in vitro model of the airway epithelium, incorporating fully differentiated primary human airway epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface and a basolateral microfluidic supply of nutrients simulating the interstitial flow observed in vivo. Through combination of the microfluidic culture system with an automated fraction collector the kinetics of cellular responses by the airway epithelium to environmental agents can be analysed at the early phases for the first time and with much higher sensitivity compared to common static in vitro models. Following exposure of primary differentiated epithelial cells to pollen we show that CXCL8/IL–8 release is detectable within the first 2h and peaks at 4–6h under microfluidic conditions, a response which was not observed in conventional static culture conditions. Such a microfluidic culture model is likely to have utility for high resolution temporal profiling of toxicological and pharmacological responses of the airway epithelial barrier, as well as for studies of disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Blume
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Riccardo Reale
- Electronics and Computer Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Held
- Electronics and Computer Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy M. Millar
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jane E. Collins
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Donna E. Davies
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research, Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Hywel Morgan
- Electronics and Computer Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J. Swindle
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research, Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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19
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Salito C, Aliverti A, Mazzuca E, Rivolta I, Miserocchi G. The effect of exogenous surfactant on alveolar interdependence. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2015; 210:7-13. [PMID: 25600053 DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2015.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the nature of alveolar mechanical interdependence, we purposefully disturbed the equilibrium condition by administering exogenous surfactant in physiological non-surfactant deprived conditions. Changes in alveolar morphology induced by intra-tracheal delivery of CUROSURF were evaluated after opening a pleural window allowing in-vivo microscopic imaging of sub-pleural alveoli in 6 male anesthetized, tracheotomized and mechanically ventilated rabbits. Surfactant instillation increased the surface area of alveoli smaller than 20,000 μm(2) up to ∼ 50% at 15 min after instillation, reflecting a lowering of surface tension due to local surfactant enrichment. Conversely, for alveoli greater than 20,000 μm(2), surface area decreased by ∼ 5%. Opposite changes in alveolar surface are interpreted as reflecting a new inter-alveolar mechanical equilibrium modified by local surfactant distribution and by a decrease in lung distending pressure. We propose that smaller alveoli, representing the majority of alveolar population, might mostly contribute to improve the oxygenation index following surfactant replacement therapy in case of surfactant deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Salito
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - Andrea Aliverti
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Enrico Mazzuca
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Ilaria Rivolta
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Miserocchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
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20
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Thuenauer R, Rodriguez-Boulan E, Römer W. Microfluidic approaches for epithelial cell layer culture and characterisation. Analyst 2014; 139:3206-18. [PMID: 24668405 PMCID: PMC4286366 DOI: 10.1039/c4an00056k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In higher eukaryotes, epithelial cell layers line most body cavities and form selective barriers that regulate the exchange of solutes between compartments. In order to fulfil these functions, the cells assume a polarised architecture and maintain two distinct plasma membrane domains, the apical domain facing the lumen and the basolateral domain facing other cells and the extracellular matrix. Microfluidic biochips offer the unique opportunity to establish novel in vitro models of epithelia in which the in vivo microenvironment of epithelial cells is precisely reconstituted. In addition, analytical tools to monitor biologically relevant parameters can be directly integrated on-chip. In this review we summarise recently developed biochip designs for culturing epithelial cell layers. Since endothelial cell layers, which line blood vessels, have similar barrier functions and polar organisation as epithelial cell layers, we also discuss biochips for culturing endothelial cell layers. Furthermore, we review approaches to integrate tools to analyse and manipulate epithelia and endothelia in microfluidic biochips; including methods to perform electrical impedance spectroscopy; methods to detect substances undergoing trans-epithelial transport via fluorescence, spectrophotometry, and mass spectrometry; techniques to mechanically stimulate cells via stretching and fluid flow-induced shear stress; and methods to carry out high-resolution imaging of vesicular trafficking using light microscopy. Taken together, this versatile microfluidic toolbox enables novel experimental approaches to characterise epithelial monolayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Thuenauer
- Institute of Biology II, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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21
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Mahto SK, Tenenbaum-Katan J, Greenblum A, Rothen-Rutishauser B, Sznitman J. Microfluidic shear stress-regulated surfactant secretion in alveolar epithelial type II cells in vitro. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2014; 306:L672-83. [PMID: 24487389 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00106.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the role of flow-induced shear stress on the mechanisms regulating surfactant secretion in type II alveolar epithelial cells (ATII) using microfluidic models. Following flow stimulation spanning a range of wall shear stress (WSS) magnitudes, monolayers of ATII (MLE-12 and A549) cells were examined for surfactant secretion by evaluating essential steps of the process, including relative changes in the number of fusion events of lamellar bodies (LBs) with the plasma membrane (PM) and intracellular redistribution of LBs. F-actin cytoskeleton and calcium levels were analyzed in A549 cells subjected to WSS spanning 4-20 dyn/cm(2). Results reveal an enhancement in LB fusion events with the PM in MLE-12 cells upon flow stimulation, whereas A549 cells exhibit no foreseeable changes in the monitored number of fusion events for WSS levels ranging up to a threshold of ∼8 dyn/cm(2); above this threshold, we witness instead a decrease in LB fusion events in A549 cells. However, patterns of LB redistribution suggest that WSS can potentially serve as a stimulus for A549 cells to trigger the intracellular transport of LBs toward the cell periphery. This observation is accompanied by a fragmentation of F-actin, indicating that disorganization of the F-actin cytoskeleton might act as a limiting factor for LB fusion events. Moreover, we note a rise in cytosolic calcium ([Ca(2+)]c) levels following stimulation of A549 cells with WSS magnitudes ranging near or above the experimental threshold. Overall, WSS stimulation can influence key components of molecular machinery for regulated surfactant secretion in ATII cells in vitro.
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22
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Atefi E, Mann JA, Tavana H. A robust polynomial fitting approach for contact angle measurements. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2013; 29:5677-5688. [PMID: 23570502 DOI: 10.1021/la4002972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Polynomial fitting to drop profile offers an alternative to well-established drop shape techniques for contact angle measurements from sessile drops without a need for liquid physical properties. Here, we evaluate the accuracy of contact angles resulting from fitting polynomials of various orders to drop profiles in a Cartesian coordinate system, over a wide range of contact angles. We develop a differentiator mask to automatically find a range of required number of pixels from a drop profile over which a stable contact angle is obtained. The polynomial order that results in the longest stable regime and returns the lowest standard error and the highest correlation coefficient is selected to determine drop contact angles. We find that, unlike previous reports, a single polynomial order cannot be used to accurately estimate a wide range of contact angles and that a larger order polynomial is needed for drops with larger contact angles. Our method returns contact angles with an accuracy of <0.4° for solid-liquid systems with θ < ~60°. This compares well with the axisymmetric drop shape analysis-profile (ADSA-P) methodology results. Above about 60°, we observe significant deviations from ADSA-P results, most likely because a polynomial cannot trace the profile of drops with close-to-vertical and vertical segments. To overcome this limitation, we implement a new polynomial fitting scheme by transforming drop profiles into polar coordinate system. This eliminates the well-known problem with high curvature drops and enables estimating contact angles in a wide range with a fourth-order polynomial. We show that this approach returns dynamic contact angles with less than 0.7° error as compared to ADSA-P, for the solid-liquid systems tested. This new approach is a powerful alternative to drop shape techniques for estimating contact angles of drops regardless of drop symmetry and without a need for liquid properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Atefi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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23
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Airway reopening through catastrophic events in a hierarchical network. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 110:859-64. [PMID: 23277557 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1211706110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
When you reach with your straw for the final drops of a milkshake, the liquid forms a train of plugs that flow slowly initially because of the high viscosity. They then suddenly rupture and are replaced with a rapid airflow with the characteristic slurping sound. Trains of liquid plugs also are observed in complex geometries, such as porous media during petroleum extraction, in microfluidic two-phase flows, or in flows in the pulmonary airway tree under pathological conditions. The dynamics of rupture events in these geometries play the dominant role in the spatial distribution of the flow and in determining how much of the medium remains occluded. Here we show that the flow of a train of plugs in a straight channel is always unstable to breaking through a cascade of ruptures. Collective effects considerably modify the rupture dynamics of plug trains: Interactions among nearest neighbors take place through the wetting films and slow down the cascade, whereas global interactions, through the total resistance to flow of the train, accelerate the dynamics after each plug rupture. In a branching tree of microchannels, similar cascades occur along paths that connect the input to a particular output. This divides the initial tree into several independent subnetworks, which then evolve independently of one another. The spatiotemporal distribution of the cascades is random, owing to strong sensitivity to the plug divisions at the bifurcations.
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24
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Skolimowski M, Weiss Nielsen M, Abeille F, Skafte-Pedersen P, Sabourin D, Fercher A, Papkovsky D, Molin S, Taboryski R, Sternberg C, Dufva M, Geschke O, Emnéus J. Modular microfluidic system as a model of cystic fibrosis airways. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2012; 6:34109. [PMID: 23908680 PMCID: PMC3423306 DOI: 10.1063/1.4742911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
A modular microfluidic airways model system that can simulate the changes in oxygen tension in different compartments of the cystic fibrosis (CF) airways was designed, developed, and tested. The fully reconfigurable system composed of modules with different functionalities: multichannel peristaltic pumps, bubble traps, gas exchange chip, and cell culture chambers. We have successfully applied this system for studying the antibiotic therapy of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria mainly responsible for morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis, in different oxygen environments. Furthermore, we have mimicked the bacterial reinoculation of the aerobic compartments (lower respiratory tract) from the anaerobic compartments (cystic fibrosis sinuses) following an antibiotic treatment. This effect is hypothesised as the one on the main reasons for recurrent lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Skolimowski
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsted Plads, Building 345B, Kgs. Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark ; Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Matematiktorvet, Building 301, Kgs. Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark
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25
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Kumar Mahto S, Tenenbaum-Katan J, Sznitman J. Respiratory physiology on a chip. SCIENTIFICA 2012; 2012:364054. [PMID: 24278686 PMCID: PMC3820443 DOI: 10.6064/2012/364054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Our current understanding of respiratory physiology and pathophysiological mechanisms of lung diseases is often limited by challenges in developing in vitro models faithful to the respiratory environment, both in cellular structure and physiological function. The recent establishment and adaptation of microfluidic-based in vitro devices (μFIVDs) of lung airways have enabled a wide range of developments in modern respiratory physiology. In this paper, we address recent efforts over the past decade aimed at advancing in vitro models of lung structure and airways using microfluidic technology and discuss their applications. We specifically focus on μFIVDs covering four major areas of respiratory physiology, namely, artificial lungs (AL), the air-liquid interface (ALI), liquid plugs and cellular injury, and the alveolar-capillary barrier (ACB).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Kumar Mahto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Janna Tenenbaum-Katan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Josué Sznitman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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26
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Kovarik ML, Gach PC, Ornoff DM, Wang Y, Balowski J, Farrag L, Allbritton NL. Micro total analysis systems for cell biology and biochemical assays. Anal Chem 2012; 84:516-40. [PMID: 21967743 PMCID: PMC3264799 DOI: 10.1021/ac202611x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Kovarik
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Phillip C. Gach
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Douglas M. Ornoff
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Joseph Balowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Lila Farrag
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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27
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Waters CM, Roan E, Navajas D. Mechanobiology in lung epithelial cells: measurements, perturbations, and responses. Compr Physiol 2012; 2:1-29. [PMID: 23728969 PMCID: PMC4457445 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial cells of the lung are located at the interface between the environment and the organism and serve many important functions including barrier protection, fluid balance, clearance of particulate, initiation of immune responses, mucus and surfactant production, and repair following injury. Because of the complex structure of the lung and its cyclic deformation during the respiratory cycle, epithelial cells are exposed to continuously varying levels of mechanical stresses. While normal lung function is maintained under these conditions, changes in mechanical stresses can have profound effects on the function of epithelial cells and therefore the function of the organ. In this review, we will describe the types of stresses and strains in the lungs, how these are transmitted, and how these may vary in human disease or animal models. Many approaches have been developed to better understand how cells sense and respond to mechanical stresses, and we will discuss these approaches and how they have been used to study lung epithelial cells in culture. Understanding how cells sense and respond to changes in mechanical stresses will contribute to our understanding of the role of lung epithelial cells during normal function and development and how their function may change in diseases such as acute lung injury, asthma, emphysema, and fibrosis.
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Moraes C, Mehta G, Lesher-Perez SC, Takayama S. Organs-on-a-chip: a focus on compartmentalized microdevices. Ann Biomed Eng 2011; 40:1211-27. [PMID: 22065201 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-011-0455-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2011] [Accepted: 10/24/2011] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Advances in microengineering technologies have enabled a variety of insights into biomedical sciences that would not have been possible with conventional techniques. Engineering microenvironments that simulate in vivo organ systems may provide critical insight into the cellular basis for pathophysiologies, development, and homeostasis in various organs, while curtailing the high experimental costs and complexities associated with in vivo studies. In this article, we aim to survey recent attempts to extend tissue-engineered platforms toward simulating organ structure and function, and discuss the various approaches and technologies utilized in these systems. We specifically focus on microtechnologies that exploit phenomena associated with compartmentalization to create model culture systems that better represent the in vivo organ microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Moraes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Tavana H, Zamankhan P, Christensen PJ, Grotberg JB, Takayama S. Epithelium damage and protection during reopening of occluded airways in a physiologic microfluidic pulmonary airway model. Biomed Microdevices 2011; 13:731-42. [PMID: 21487664 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-011-9543-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Airways of the peripheral lung are prone to closure at low lung volumes. Deficiency or dysfunction of pulmonary surfactant during various lung diseases compounds this event by destabilizing the liquid lining of small airways and giving rise to occluding liquid plugs in airways. Propagation of liquid plugs in airways during inflation of the lung exerts large mechanical forces on airway cells. We describe a microfluidic model of small airways of the lung that mimics airway architecture, recreates physiologic levels of pulmonary pressures, and allows studying cellular response to repeated liquid plug propagation events. Substantial cellular injury happens due to the propagation of liquid plugs devoid of surfactant. We show that addition of a physiologic concentration of a clinical surfactant, Survanta, to propagating liquid plugs protects the epithelium and significantly reduces cell death. Although the protective role of surfactants has been demonstrated in models of a propagating air finger in liquid-filled airways, this is the first time to study the protective role of surfactants in liquid plugs where fluid mechanical stresses are expected to be higher than in air fingers. Our parallel computational simulations revealed a significant decrease in mechanical forces in the presence of surfactant, confirming the experimental observations. The results support the practice of providing exogenous surfactant to patients in certain clinical settings as a protective mechanism against pathologic flows. More importantly, this platform provides a useful model to investigate various surface tension-mediated lung diseases at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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