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Rogal J, Zamproni LN, Nikolakopoulou P, Ygberg S, Wedell A, Wredenberg A, Herland A. Human In Vitro Models of Neuroenergetics and Neurometabolic Disturbances: Current Advances and Clinical Perspectives. Stem Cells Transl Med 2024; 13:505-514. [PMID: 38588471 PMCID: PMC11165162 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurological conditions conquer the world; they are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, and they appear all around the world in every age group, gender, nationality, and socioeconomic class. Despite the growing evidence of an immense impact of perturbations in neuroenergetics on overall brain function, only little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Especially human insights are sparse, owing to a shortage of physiologically relevant model systems. With this perspective, we aim to explore the key steps and considerations involved in developing an advanced human in vitro model for studying neuroenergetics. We discuss biological and technological strategies to meet the requirements of a predictive model, aiming at providing a guide and inspiration for future in vitro models of neuroenergetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Rogal
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology at Science for Life Laboratory, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences (AIMES), Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Nicoleti Zamproni
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04039-032, Brazil
| | - Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences (AIMES), Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Ygberg
- Centre for Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Neuropediatric Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Wedell
- Centre for Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Wredenberg
- Centre for Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Herland
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology at Science for Life Laboratory, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences (AIMES), Karolinska Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Lim J, Fang HW, Bupphathong S, Sung PC, Yeh CE, Huang W, Lin CH. The Edifice of Vasculature-On-Chips: A Focused Review on the Key Elements and Assembly of Angiogenesis Models. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:3548-3567. [PMID: 38712543 PMCID: PMC11167599 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The conception of vascularized organ-on-a-chip models provides researchers with the ability to supply controlled biological and physical cues that simulate the in vivo dynamic microphysiological environment of native blood vessels. The intention of this niche research area is to improve our understanding of the role of the vasculature in health or disease progression in vitro by allowing researchers to monitor angiogenic responses and cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions in real time. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the essential elements, including cells, biomaterials, microenvironmental factors, microfluidic chip design, and standard validation procedures that currently govern angiogenesis-on-a-chip assemblies. In addition, we emphasize the importance of incorporating a microvasculature component into organ-on-chip devices in critical biomedical research areas, such as tissue engineering, drug discovery, and disease modeling. Ultimately, advances in this area of research could provide innovative solutions and a personalized approach to ongoing medical challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Lim
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Wei Fang
- High-value
Biomaterials Research and Commercialization Center, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
- Institute
of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 35053, Taiwan
| | - Sasinan Bupphathong
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
- High-value
Biomaterials Research and Commercialization Center, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chan Sung
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chen-En Yeh
- School
of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Wei Huang
- Department
of Orthodontics, Rutgers School of Dental
Medicine, Newark, New Jersey 07103, United States
| | - Chih-Hsin Lin
- Graduate
Institute of Nanomedicine and Medical Engineering, College of Biomedical
Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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3
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Yakovlev EV, Simkin IV, Shirokova AA, Kolotieva NA, Novikova SV, Nasyrov AD, Denisenko IR, Gursky KD, Shishkov IN, Narzaeva DE, Salmina AB, Yurchenko SO, Kryuchkov NP. Machine learning approach for recognition and morphological analysis of isolated astrocytes in phase contrast microscopy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9846. [PMID: 38684715 PMCID: PMC11059356 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59773-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are glycolytically active cells in the central nervous system playing a crucial role in various brain processes from homeostasis to neurotransmission. Astrocytes possess a complex branched morphology, frequently examined by fluorescent microscopy. However, staining and fixation may impact the properties of astrocytes, thereby affecting the accuracy of the experimental data of astrocytes dynamics and morphology. On the other hand, phase contrast microscopy can be used to study astrocytes morphology without affecting them, but the post-processing of the resulting low-contrast images is challenging. The main result of this work is a novel approach for recognition and morphological analysis of unstained astrocytes based on machine-learning recognition of microscopic images. We conducted a series of experiments involving the cultivation of isolated astrocytes from the rat brain cortex followed by microscopy. Using the proposed approach, we tracked the temporal evolution of the average total length of branches, branching, and area per astrocyte in our experiments. We believe that the proposed approach and the obtained experimental data will be of interest and benefit to the scientific communities in cell biology, biophysics, and machine learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor V Yakovlev
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia.
| | - Ivan V Simkin
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Anastasiya A Shirokova
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Nataliya A Kolotieva
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 80 Volokolamskoye Shosse, Moscow, 125367, Russia
| | - Svetlana V Novikova
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 80 Volokolamskoye Shosse, Moscow, 125367, Russia
| | - Artur D Nasyrov
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Ilya R Denisenko
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Konstantin D Gursky
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Ivan N Shishkov
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Diana E Narzaeva
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 80 Volokolamskoye Shosse, Moscow, 125367, Russia
| | - Alla B Salmina
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
- Research Center of Neurology, 80 Volokolamskoye Shosse, Moscow, 125367, Russia
| | - Stanislav O Yurchenko
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia
| | - Nikita P Kryuchkov
- Scientific-Educational Centre "Soft matter and physics of fluids", Bauman Moscow State Technical University, 2nd Baumanskaya Street 5, Moscow, 105005, Russia.
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Sánchez-Duffhues G, Hiepen C. Human iPSCs as Model Systems for BMP-Related Rare Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:2200. [PMID: 37681932 PMCID: PMC10487005 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Disturbances in bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling contribute to onset and development of a number of rare genetic diseases, including Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). After decades of animal research to build a solid foundation in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms, the progressive implementation of iPSC-based patient-derived models will improve drug development by addressing drug efficacy, specificity, and toxicity in a complex humanized environment. We will review the current state of literature on iPSC-derived model systems in this field, with special emphasis on the access to patient source material and the complications that may come with it. Given the essential role of BMPs during embryonic development and stem cell differentiation, gain- or loss-of-function mutations in the BMP signalling pathway may compromise iPSC generation, maintenance, and differentiation procedures. This review highlights the need for careful optimization of the protocols used. Finally, we will discuss recent developments towards complex in vitro culture models aiming to resemble specific tissue microenvironments with multi-faceted cellular inputs, such as cell mechanics and ECM together with organoids, organ-on-chip, and microfluidic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Sánchez-Duffhues
- Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), ISPA-HUCA, Avda. de Roma, s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Hiepen
- Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, August-Schmidt-Ring 10, 45665 Recklinghausen, Germany
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Sharlow ER, Llaneza DC, Grever WE, Mingledorff GA, Mendelson AJ, Bloom GS, Lazo JS. High content screening miniaturization and single cell imaging of mature human feeder layer-free iPSC-derived neurons. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2023; 28:275-283. [PMID: 36273809 PMCID: PMC10119332 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons are being increasingly used for high content imaging and screening. However, iPSC-derived neuronal differentiation and maturation is time-intensive, often requiring >8 weeks. Unfortunately, the differentiating and maturing iPSC-derived neuronal cultures also tend to migrate and coalesce into ganglion-like clusters making single-cell analysis challenging, especially in miniaturized formats. Using our defined extracellular matrix and low oxygen culturing conditions for the differentiation and maturation of human cortical neurons, we further modified neuronal progenitor cell seeding densities and feeder layer-free culturing conditions in miniaturized formats (i.e., 96 well) to decrease neuronal clustering, enhance single-cell identification and reduce edge effects usually observed after extended neuronal cell culture. Subsequent algorithm development refined capabilities to distinguish and identify single mature neurons, as identified by NeuN expression, from large cellular aggregates, which were excluded from image analysis. Incorporation of astrocyte conditioned medium during differentiation and maturation periods significantly increased the percentage (i.e., ∼10% to ∼30%) of mature neurons (i.e., NeuN+) detected at 4-weeks post-differentiation. Pilot, proof of concept studies using this optimized assay system yielded negligible edge effects and robust Z-factors in population-based as well as image-based neurotoxicity assay formats. Moreover, moxidectin, an FDA-approved drug with documented neurotoxic adverse effects, was identified as a hit using both screening formats. This miniaturized, feeder layer-free format and image analysis algorithm provides a foundational imaging and screening platform, which enables quantitative single-cell analysis of differentiated human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Sharlow
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, 340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Pinn Hall, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 800735, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0735, USA.
| | - Danielle C Llaneza
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, 340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Pinn Hall, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 800735, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0735, USA
| | | | - Garnett A Mingledorff
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, 340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Pinn Hall, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 800735, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0735, USA
| | - Anna J Mendelson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, 340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Pinn Hall, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 800735, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0735, USA
| | - George S Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, 420 Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400328, Charlottesville VA 22904, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, 420 Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400328, Charlottesville VA 22904, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, 420 Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Road, P.O. Box 400328, Charlottesville VA 22904, USA
| | - John S Lazo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, 340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Pinn Hall, 5th Floor, P.O. Box 800735, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0735, USA
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6
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Lermant A, Rabussier G, Lanz HL, Davidson L, Porter IM, Murdoch CE. Development of a human iPSC-derived placental barrier-on-chip model. iScience 2023; 26:107240. [PMID: 37534160 PMCID: PMC10392097 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although recently developed placenta-on-chip systems opened promising perspectives for placental barrier modeling, they still lack physiologically relevant trophoblasts and are poorly amenable to high-throughput studies. We aimed to implement human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived trophoblasts into a multi-well microfluidic device to develop a physiologically relevant and scalable placental barrier model. When cultured in a perfused micro-channel against a collagen-based matrix, hiPSC-derived trophoblasts self-arranged into a 3D structure showing invasive behavior, fusogenic and endocrine activities, structural integrity, and expressing placental transporters. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the microfluidic 3D environment boosted expression of genes related to early placental structural development, mainly involved in mechanosensing and cell surface receptor signaling. These results demonstrated the feasibility of generating a differentiated primitive syncytium from hiPSC in a microfluidic platform. Besides expanding hiPSC-derived trophoblast scope of applications, this study constitutes an important resource to improve placental barrier models and boost research and therapeutics evaluation in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Lermant
- Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
| | | | | | - Lindsay Davidson
- Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Iain M. Porter
- Dundee Imaging Facility, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Colin E. Murdoch
- Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
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Alves ADH, Nucci MP, Ennes do Valle NM, Missina JM, Mamani JB, Rego GNA, Dias OFM, Garrigós MM, de Oliveira FA, Gamarra LF. Current overview of induced pluripotent stem cell-based blood-brain barrier-on-a-chip. World J Stem Cells 2023; 15:632-653. [PMID: 37424947 PMCID: PMC10324508 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v15.i6.632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show great ability to differentiate into any tissue, making them attractive candidates for pathophysiological investigations. The rise of organ-on-a-chip technology in the past century has introduced a novel way to make in vitro cell cultures that more closely resemble their in vivo environments, both structural and functionally. The literature still lacks consensus on the best conditions to mimic the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for drug screening and other personalized therapies. The development of models based on BBB-on-a-chip using iPSCs is promising and is a potential alternative to the use of animals in research.
AIM To analyze the literature for BBB models on-a-chip involving iPSCs, describe the microdevices, the BBB in vitro construction, and applications.
METHODS We searched for original articles indexed in PubMed and Scopus that used iPSCs to mimic the BBB and its microenvironment in microfluidic devices. Thirty articles were identified, wherein only 14 articles were finally selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data compiled from the selected articles were organized into four topics: (1) Microfluidic devices design and fabrication; (2) characteristics of the iPSCs used in the BBB model and their differentiation conditions; (3) BBB-on-a-chip reconstruction process; and (4) applications of BBB microfluidic three-dimensional models using iPSCs.
RESULTS This study showed that BBB models with iPSCs in microdevices are quite novel in scientific research. Important technological advances in this area regarding the use of commercial BBB-on-a-chip were identified in the most recent articles by different research groups. Conventional polydimethylsiloxane was the most used material to fabricate in-house chips (57%), whereas few studies (14.3%) adopted polymethylmethacrylate. Half the models were constructed using a porous membrane made of diverse materials to separate the channels. iPSC sources were divergent among the studies, but the main line used was IMR90-C4 from human fetal lung fibroblast (41.2%). The cells were differentiated through diverse and complex processes either to endothelial or neural cells, wherein only one study promoted differentiation inside the chip. The construction process of the BBB-on-a-chip involved previous coating mostly with fibronectin/collagen IV (39.3%), followed by cell seeding in single cultures (36%) or co-cultures (64%) under controlled conditions, aimed at developing an in vitro BBB that mimics the human BBB for future applications.
CONCLUSION This review evidenced technological advances in the construction of BBB models using iPSCs. Nonetheless, a definitive BBB-on-a-chip has not yet been achieved, hindering the applicability of the models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariana Penteado Nucci
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05529-060, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-010, São Paulo, Brazil
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8
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Angiolillo S, Micheli S, Laterza C, Gagliano O. NGN2-based neuronal programming of hiPSCs in an automated microfluidic platform. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 666:52-60. [PMID: 37178505 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.04.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) via somatic cell reprogramming allowed to have an unlimited in vitro source of patient-specific cells. This achievement has introduced a new revolutionary way to create human in vitro models and to study human diseases starting from patient's own cells, especially important for inaccessible tissues like the brain. Recently, lab-on-a-chip technology has opened new reliable alternatives to conventional in vitro models able to replicate key aspects of human physiology, thanks to the intrinsic high surface-area-to-volume ratio, which allows fine control of the cellular microenvironment. The development of automated microfluidic platforms allowed the implementation of this technology to perform high-throughput, standardized and parallelized assays, suitable for drug screenings and developing new therapeutic approaches in a cost-effective way. However, the major challenges in the broad application of automated lab-on-a-chip in biological research are the lack of production robustness and ease of use of the devices. Here, we present an automated microfluidic platform able to host the rapid conversion of human iPSCs (hiPSCs) into neurons via viral-mediated overexpression of Neurogenin 2 (NGN2) in a user-friendly manner. The design of the platform, built with multilayer soft-lithography techniques, shows easiness in the fabrication and assembly thanks to the simple geometry and experimental reproducibility at the same time. All operations are managed automatically, from the cell seeding, medium change, doxycycline-mediated neuronal induction, selection of the genetically engineered cells, and analysis of the output of differentiation, including immunofluorescence assay. Our results show a high-throughput, efficient and homogenous conversion of hiPSCs into neurons in 10 days, characterized by the expression of the mature neuronal marker MAP2 and calcium signaling. The neurons-on-chip model here described represents a fully automated loop system able to address the challenges in the field of neurological diseases modelling in vitro and improve current preclinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Angiolillo
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - S Micheli
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - C Laterza
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - O Gagliano
- Department of Industrial Engineering (DII), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy; Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Section, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
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9
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Recent advances in nanowire sensor assembly using laminar flow in open space. Trends Analyt Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.116918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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10
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Blood brain barrier-on-a-chip to model neurological diseases. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2023.104174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Megarity D, Vroman R, Kriek M, Downey P, Bushell TJ, Zagnoni M. A modular microfluidic platform to enable complex and customisable in vitro models for neuroscience. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1989-2000. [PMID: 35466333 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00115b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) represent a global health challenge and an increased understanding of the CNS in both physiological and pathophysiological states is essential to tackle the problem. Modelling CNS conditions is difficult, as traditional in vitro models fail to recapitulate precise microenvironments and animal models of complex disease often have limited translational validity. Microfluidic and organ-on-chip technologies offer an opportunity to develop more physiologically relevant and complex in vitro models of the CNS. They can be developed to allow precise cellular patterning and enhanced experimental capabilities to study neuronal function and dysfunction. To improve ease-of-use of the technology and create new opportunities for novel in vitro studies, we introduce a modular platform consisting of multiple, individual microfluidic units that can be combined in several configurations to create bespoke culture environments. Here, we report proof-of-concept experiments creating complex in vitro models and performing functional analysis of neuronal activity across modular interfaces. This platform technology presents an opportunity to increase our understanding of CNS disease mechanisms and ultimately aid the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Megarity
- Centre for Doctoral Training in Medical Devices and Health Technologies, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NW, UK
| | - R Vroman
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, UK.
| | | | - P Downey
- UCB Biopharma, Chemin du Foriest, 1420 Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - T J Bushell
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - M Zagnoni
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XW, UK.
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12
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Fanizza F, Campanile M, Forloni G, Giordano C, Albani D. Induced pluripotent stem cell-based organ-on-a-chip as personalized drug screening tools: A focus on neurodegenerative disorders. J Tissue Eng 2022; 13:20417314221095339. [PMID: 35570845 PMCID: PMC9092580 DOI: 10.1177/20417314221095339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Organ-on-a-Chip (OoC) technology shows great potential to revolutionize the
drugs development pipeline by mimicking the physiological environment and
functions of human organs. The translational value of OoC is further enhanced
when combined with patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to
develop more realistic disease models, paving the way for the development of a
new generation of patient-on-a-chip devices. iPSCs differentiation capacity
leads to invaluable improvements in personalized medicine. Moreover, the
connection of single-OoC into multi-OoC or body-on-a-chip allows to investigate
drug pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetics through the study of multi-organs
cross-talks. The need of a breakthrough thanks to this technology is
particularly relevant within the field of neurodegenerative diseases, where the
number of patients is increasing and the successful rate in drug discovery is
worryingly low. In this review we discuss current iPSC-based OoC as drug
screening models and their implication in development of new therapies for
neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Fanizza
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marzia Campanile
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Forloni
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmen Giordano
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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Vivas A, van den Berg A, Passier R, Odijk M, van der Meer AD. Fluidic circuit board with modular sensor and valves enables stand-alone, tubeless microfluidic flow control in organs-on-chips. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1231-1243. [PMID: 35178541 PMCID: PMC8922413 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00999k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Organs-on-chips are a unique class of microfluidic in vitro cell culture models, in which the in vivo tissue microenvironment is mimicked. Unfortunately, their widespread use is hampered by their operation complexity and incompatibility with end-user research settings. To address these issues, many commercial and non-commercial platforms have been developed for semi-automated culture of organs-on-chips. However, these organ-on-chip culture platforms each represent a closed ecosystem, with very little opportunity to interchange and integrate components from different platforms or to develop new ones. The translational organ-on-chip platform (TOP) is a multi-institutional effort to develop an open platform for automated organ-on-chip culture and integration of components from various developers. Central to TOP is the fluidic circuit board (FCB), a microfluidic plate with the form factor of a typical well plate. The FCB enables microfluidic control of multiple components like sensors or organ-on-chip devices through an interface based on openly available standards. Here, we report an FCB to integrate commercial and in-house developed components forming a stand-alone flow control system for organs-on-chips. The control system is able to achieve constant and pulsatile flow recirculation through a connected organ-on-chip device. We demonstrate that this system is able to automatically perfuse a heart-on-chip device containing co-cultures of cardiac tissues derived from human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and monolayers of endothelial cells for five days. Altogether, we conclude that open technology platforms allow the integration of components from different sources to form functional and fit-for-purpose organ-on-chip systems. We anticipate that open platforms will play a central role in catalyzing and maturing further technological development of organ-on-chip culture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisen Vivas
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Centre, Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Albert van den Berg
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Centre, Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Passier
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Mathieu Odijk
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Centre, Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Andries D van der Meer
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands.
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Potjewyd G, Kellett K, Hooper N. 3D hydrogel models of the neurovascular unit to investigate blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Neuronal Signal 2021; 5:NS20210027. [PMID: 34804595 PMCID: PMC8579151 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurovascular unit (NVU), consisting of neurons, glial cells, vascular cells (endothelial cells, pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs)) together with the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM), is an important interface between the peripheral blood and the brain parenchyma. Disruption of the NVU impacts on blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulation and underlies the development and pathology of multiple neurological disorders, including stroke and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ability to differentiate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into the different cell types of the NVU and incorporate them into physical models provides a reverse engineering approach to generate human NVU models to study BBB function. To recapitulate the in vivo situation such NVU models must also incorporate the ECM to provide a 3D environment with appropriate mechanical and biochemical cues for the cells of the NVU. In this review, we provide an overview of the cells of the NVU and the surrounding ECM, before discussing the characteristics (stiffness, functionality and porosity) required of hydrogels to mimic the ECM when incorporated into in vitro NVU models. We summarise the approaches available to measure BBB functionality and present the techniques in use to develop robust and translatable models of the NVU, including transwell models, hydrogel models, 3D-bioprinting, microfluidic models and organoids. The incorporation of iPSCs either without or with disease-specific genetic mutations into these NVU models provides a platform in which to study normal and disease mechanisms, test BBB permeability to drugs, screen for new therapeutic targets and drugs or to design cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Potjewyd
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Katherine A.B. Kellett
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Nigel M. Hooper
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
- Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Northern Care Alliance and University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K
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15
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Maoz BM. Brain-on-a-Chip: Characterizing the next generation of advanced in vitro platforms for modeling the central nervous system. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:030902. [PMID: 34368601 PMCID: PMC8325567 DOI: 10.1063/5.0055812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the human brain creates significant, almost insurmountable challenges for neurological drug development. Advanced in vitro platforms are increasingly enabling researchers to overcome these challenges, by mimicking key features of the brain's composition and functionality. Many of these platforms are called "Brains-on-a-Chip"-a term that was originally used to refer to microfluidics-based systems containing miniature engineered tissues, but that has since expanded to describe a vast range of in vitro central nervous system (CNS) modeling approaches. This Perspective seeks to refine the definition of a Brain-on-a-Chip for the next generation of in vitro platforms, identifying criteria that determine which systems should qualify. These criteria reflect the extent to which a given platform overcomes the challenges unique to in vitro CNS modeling (e.g., recapitulation of the brain's microenvironment; inclusion of critical subunits, such as the blood-brain barrier) and thereby provides meaningful added value over conventional cell culture systems. The paper further outlines practical considerations for the development and implementation of Brain-on-a-Chip platforms and concludes with a vision for where these technologies may be heading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben M. Maoz
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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