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Scott M, Lei L, Bierstedt KC, McCray PB, Xie Y. Dynamic measurement of airway surface liquid volume with an ex vivo trachea-chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3093-3100. [PMID: 38779981 PMCID: PMC11165946 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00134f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The volume and composition of airway surface liquid (ASL) is regulated by liquid secretion and absorption across airway epithelia, controlling the pH, solute concentration, and biophysical properties of ASL in health and disease. Here, we developed a method integrating explanted tracheal tissue with a micro-machined device (referred to as "ex vivo trachea-chip") to study the dynamic properties of ASL volume regulation. The ex vivo trachea-chip allows real-time measurement of ASL transport (Jv) with intact airway anatomic structures, environmental control, high-resolution, and enhanced experimental throughput. Applying this technology to freshly excised tissue we observed ASL absorption under basal conditions. The apical application of amiloride, an inhibitor of airway epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), reduced airway liquid absorption. Furthermore, the basolateral addition of NPPB, a Cl- channel inhibitor, reduced the basal rate of ASL absorption, implicating a role for basolateral Cl- channels in ASL volume regulation. When tissues were treated with apical amiloride and basolateral methacholine, a cholinergic agonist that stimulates secretion from airway submucosal glands, the net airway surface liquid production shifted from absorption to secretion. This ex vivo trachea-chip provides a new tool to investigate ASL transport dynamics in pulmonary disease states and may aid the development of new therapies targeting ASL regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Scott
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, USA.
| | - Lei Lei
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, USA
| | - Kaleb C Bierstedt
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, USA.
| | - Paul B McCray
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and Pappajohn Biomedical Institute, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, USA
| | - Yuliang Xie
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, USA.
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2
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Shaner S, Lu H, Lenz M, Garg S, Vlachos A, Asplund M. Brain stimulation-on-a-chip: a neuromodulation platform for brain slices. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4967-4985. [PMID: 37909911 PMCID: PMC10661668 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00492a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Electrical stimulation of ex vivo brain tissue slices has been a method used to understand mechanisms imparted by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), but there are significant direct current electric field (dcEF) dosage and electrochemical by-product concerns in conventional experimental setups that may impact translational findings. Therefore, we developed an on-chip platform with fluidic, electrochemical, and magnetically-induced spatial control. Fluidically, the chamber geometrically confines precise dcEF delivery to the enclosed brain slice and allows for tissue recovery in order to monitor post-stimulation effects. Electrochemically, conducting hydrogel electrodes mitigate stimulation-induced faradaic reactions typical of commonly-used metal electrodes. Magnetically, we applied ferromagnetic substrates beneath the tissue and used an external permanent magnet to enable in situ rotational control in relation to the dcEF. By combining the microfluidic chamber with live-cell calcium imaging and electrophysiological recordings, we showcased the potential to study the acute and lasting effects of dcEFs with the potential of providing multi-session stimulation. This on-chip bioelectronic platform presents a modernized yet simple solution to electrically stimulate explanted tissue by offering more environmental control to users, which unlocks new opportunities to conduct thorough brain stimulation mechanistic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Shaner
- Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 201, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Han Lu
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 201, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 17, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
| | - Maximilian Lenz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 17, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Neuroanatomy and Cell Biology, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Shreyash Garg
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 17, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
- MSc Neuroscience Program, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Andreas Vlachos
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 201, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 17, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
- Center for Basics in Neuromodulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Maria Asplund
- Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 201, 79110 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, Chalmersplatsen 4, 41258 Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Division of Nursing and Medical Technology, Luleå University of Technology, 79187 Luleå, Sweden
- Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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3
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Chan C, Peng J, Rajesh V, Scott EY, Sklavounos AA, Faiz M, Wheeler AR. Digital Microfluidics for Microproteomic Analysis of Minute Mammalian Tissue Samples Enabled by a Photocleavable Surfactant. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3242-3253. [PMID: 37651704 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Proteome profiles of precious tissue samples have great clinical potential for accelerating disease biomarker discovery and promoting novel strategies for early diagnosis and treatment. However, tiny clinical tissue samples are often difficult to handle and analyze with conventional proteomic methods. Automated digital microfluidic (DMF) workflows facilitate the manipulation of size-limited tissue samples. Here, we report the assessment of a DMF microproteomics workflow enabled by a photocleavable surfactant for proteomic analysis of minute tissue samples. The surfactant 4-hexylphenylazosulfonate (Azo) was found to facilitate fast droplet movement on DMF and enhance the proteomics analysis. Comparisons of Azo and n-Dodecyl β-d-maltoside (DDM) using small samples of HeLa digest standards and MCF-7 cell digests revealed distinct differences at the peptide level despite similar results at the protein level. The DMF microproteomics workflow was applied for the sample preparation of ∼3 μg biopsies from murine brain tissue. A total of 1969 proteins were identified in three samples, including established neural biomarkers and proteins related to synaptic signaling. Going forward, we propose that the Azo-enabled DMF workflow has the potential to advance the practical clinical application of DMF for the analysis of size-limited tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin Chan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jiaxi Peng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G9, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vigneshwar Rajesh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erica Y Scott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G9, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexandros A Sklavounos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maryam Faiz
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron R Wheeler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6, Ontario, Canada
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G9, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Emery BA, Hu X, Khanzada S, Kempermann G, Amin H. High-resolution CMOS-based biosensor for assessing hippocampal circuit dynamics in experience-dependent plasticity. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115471. [PMID: 37379793 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115471] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Experiential richness creates tissue-level changes and synaptic plasticity as patterns emerge from rhythmic spatiotemporal activity of large interconnected neuronal assemblies. Despite numerous experimental and computational approaches at different scales, the precise impact of experience on network-wide computational dynamics remains inaccessible due to the lack of applicable large-scale recording methodology. We here demonstrate a large-scale multi-site biohybrid brain circuity on-CMOS-based biosensor with an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution of 4096 microelectrodes, which allows simultaneous electrophysiological assessment across the entire hippocampal-cortical subnetworks from mice living in an enriched environment (ENR) and standard-housed (SD) conditions. Our platform, empowered with various computational analyses, reveals environmental enrichment's impacts on local and global spatiotemporal neural dynamics, firing synchrony, topological network complexity, and large-scale connectome. Our results delineate the distinct role of prior experience in enhancing multiplexed dimensional coding formed by neuronal ensembles and error tolerance and resilience to random failures compared to standard conditions. The scope and depth of these effects highlight the critical role of high-density, large-scale biosensors to provide a new understanding of the computational dynamics and information processing in multimodal physiological and experience-dependent plasticity conditions and their role in higher brain functions. Knowledge of these large-scale dynamics can inspire the development of biologically plausible computational models and computational artificial intelligence networks and expand the reach of neuromorphic brain-inspired computing into new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Addison Emery
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Xin Hu
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Shahrukh Khanzada
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- Research Group "Adult Neurogenesis", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany; Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Fetscherstraße 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hayder Amin
- Research Group "Biohybrid Neuroelectronics", German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tatzberg 41, 01307, Dresden, Germany; TU Dresden, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Bergstraße 53, 01069, Dresden, Germany.
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5
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Xu S, Liu Y, Yang Y, Zhang K, Liang W, Xu Z, Wu Y, Luo J, Zhuang C, Cai X. Recent Progress and Perspectives on Neural Chip Platforms Integrating PDMS-Based Microfluidic Devices and Microelectrode Arrays. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:709. [PMID: 37420942 DOI: 10.3390/mi14040709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a spurt of progress in the application of the encoding and decoding of neural activities to drug screening, diseases diagnosis, and brain-computer interactions. To overcome the constraints of the complexity of the brain and the ethical considerations of in vivo research, neural chip platforms integrating microfluidic devices and microelectrode arrays have been raised, which can not only customize growth paths for neurons in vitro but also monitor and modulate the specialized neural networks grown on chips. Therefore, this article reviews the developmental history of chip platforms integrating microfluidic devices and microelectrode arrays. First, we review the design and application of advanced microelectrode arrays and microfluidic devices. After, we introduce the fabrication process of neural chip platforms. Finally, we highlight the recent progress on this type of chip platform as a research tool in the field of brain science and neuroscience, focusing on neuropharmacology, neurological diseases, and simplified brain models. This is a detailed and comprehensive review of neural chip platforms. This work aims to fulfill the following three goals: (1) summarize the latest design patterns and fabrication schemes of such platforms, providing a reference for the development of other new platforms; (2) generalize several important applications of chip platforms in the field of neurology, which will attract the attention of scientists in the field; and (3) propose the developmental direction of neural chip platforms integrating microfluidic devices and microelectrode arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhaojie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yirong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinping Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chengyu Zhuang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Rujing Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Xinxia Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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6
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A microfluidic perspective on conventional in vitro transcranial direct current stimulation methods. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 385:109761. [PMID: 36470469 PMCID: PMC9884911 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising non-invasive brain stimulation method to treat neurological and psychiatric diseases. However, its underlying neural mechanisms warrant further investigation. Indeed, dose-response interrelations are poorly understood. Placing explanted brain tissue, mostly from mice or rats, into a uniform direct current electric field (dcEF) is a well-established in vitro system to elucidate the neural mechanism of tDCS. Nevertheless, we will show that generating a defined, uniform, and constant dcEF throughout a brain slice is challenging. This article critically reviews the methods used to generate and calibrate a uniform dcEF. We use finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate the widely used parallel electrode configuration and show that it may not reliably generate uniform dcEF within a brain slice inside an open interface or submerged chamber. Moreover, equivalent circuit analysis and measurements inside a testing chamber suggest that calibrating the dcEF intensity with two recording electrodes can inaccurately capture the true EF magnitude in the targeted tissue when specific criteria are not met. Finally, we outline why microfluidic chambers are an effective and calibration-free approach of generating spatiotemporally uniform dcEF for DCS in vitro studies, facilitating accurate and fine-scale dcEF adjustments. We are convinced that improving the precision and addressing the limitations of current experimental platforms will substantially improve the reproducibility of in vitro experimental results. A better mechanistic understanding of dose-response relations will ultimately facilitate more effective non-invasive stimulation therapies in patients.
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7
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Cavarzerani E, Caligiuri I, Bartoletti M, Canzonieri V, Rizzolio F. 3D dynamic cultures of HGSOC organoids to model innovative and standard therapies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1135374. [PMID: 37143603 PMCID: PMC10151532 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1135374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) needs new technologies for improving cancer diagnosis and therapy. It is a fatal disease with few options for the patients. In this context, dynamic culture systems coupling with patient-derived cancer 3D microstructures could offer a new opportunity for exploring novel therapeutic approaches. In this study, we optimized a passive microfluidic platform with 3D cancer organoids, which allows a standardized approach among different patients, a minimum requirement of samples, multiple interrogations of biological events, and a rapid response. The passive flow was optimized to improve the growth of cancer organoids, avoiding the disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Under optimized conditions of the OrganoFlow (tilting angle of 15° and an interval of rocking every 8 min), the cancer organoids grow faster than when they are in static conditions and the number of dead cells is reduced over time. To calculate the IC 50 values of standard chemotherapeutic drugs (carboplatin, paclitaxel, and doxorubicin) and targeted drugs (ATRA), different approaches were utilized. Resazurin staining, ATP-based assay, and DAPI/PI colocalization assays were compared, and the IC 50 values were calculated. The results showed that in the passive flow, the IC 50 values are lower than in static conditions. FITC-labeled paclitaxel shows a better penetration of ECM under passive flow than in static conditions, and cancer organoids start to die after 48 h instead of 96 h, respectively. Cancer organoids are the last frontiers for ex vivo testing of drugs that replicate the response of patients in the clinic. For this study, organoids derived from ascites or tissues of patients with Ovarian Cancer have been used. In conclusion, it was possible to develop a protocol for organoid cultures in a passive microfluidic platform with a higher growth rate, faster drug response, and better penetration of drugs into ECM, maintaining the samples' vitals and collecting the data on the same plate for up to 16 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Cavarzerani
- Pathology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (C.R.O.) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Isabella Caligiuri
- Pathology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (C.R.O.) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Michele Bartoletti
- Unit of Medical Oncology and Cancer Prevention, Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Canzonieri
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Flavio Rizzolio
- Pathology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (C.R.O.) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
- *Correspondence: Flavio Rizzolio,
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8
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Zhu H, Shen W, Luo C, Liu F. An integrated microfluidic device for multiplexed imaging of spatial gene expression patterns of Drosophila embryos. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4081-4092. [PMID: 36165088 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00514j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
To reveal the underlying mechanism of the biological function of multicellular systems, it is important to obtain comprehensive spatial gene expression profiles. Among the emerging single-cell spatial-omics techniques, immunofluorescence (IF)-based iterative multiplexed imaging is a promising approach. However, the conventional method is usually costly, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and has low throughput. Moreover, it has yet to be demonstrated in intact multicellular organisms. Here, we developed an integrated microfluidic system to overcome these challenges for quantitatively measuring multiple protein profiles sequentially in situ in the same Drosophila embryo. We designed an array of hydrodynamic trapping sites to automatically capture over ten Drosophila embryos with orientation selectivity at more than 90% trapping rates. We also optimized the geometry of confinement and the on-chip IF protocol to achieve the same high signal-to-noise ratio as the off-chip traditional IF experiments. Moreover, we developed an efficient de-staining protocol by combining on-chip antibody stripping and fluorophore bleaching. Using the same secondary antibody to sequentially stain different genes, we confirmed that the de-stained genes have no detectable interference with the subsequently stained genes, and the gene expression profiles are preserved after multiple cycles of staining and de-staining processes. This preliminary test shows that our newly developed integrated microfluidic system can be a powerful tool for multiplexed imaging of Drosophila embryos. Our work opens a new avenue to design microfluidic chips for multicellular organisms and single-cell spatial-omics techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcun Zhu
- The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Wenting Shen
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Chunxiong Luo
- The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hebei Province for Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China
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9
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Rafiei N, Moghadam MG, Au A, Regeenes R, Chidambaram S, Liang T, Wang Y, Yip CM, Gaisano H, Rocheleau JV. Design of a versatile microfluidic device for imaging precision-cut-tissue slices. Biofabrication 2022; 14. [PMID: 35793653 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac7eea] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Precision-cut-tissues (PCTs), which preserve many aspects of a tissue's microenvironment, are typically imaged using conventional sample dishes and chambers. These can require large amounts of reagent and, when used for flow-through experiments, the shear forces applied on the tissues are often ill-defined. Their physical design also makes it difficult to image large volumes and repetitively image smaller regions of interest in the living slice. We report here on the design of a versatile microfluidic device capable of holding mouse or human pancreas PCTs for 3D fluorescence imaging using confocal and selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). Our design positions PCTs within a 5 × 5 mm × 140µm deep chamber fitted with 150µm tall channels to facilitate media exchange. Shear stress in the device is localized to small regions on the surface of the tissue and can be easily controlled. This design allows for media exchange at flowrates ∼10-fold lower than those required for conventional chambers. Finally, this design allows for imaging the same immunofluorescently labeled PCT with high resolution on a confocal and with large field of view on a SPIM, without adversely affecting image quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiseh Rafiei
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammadamir G Moghadam
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aaron Au
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Romario Regeenes
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Tao Liang
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher M Yip
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Herbert Gaisano
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan V Rocheleau
- Advanced Diagnostics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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10
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Gulliver EL, Young RB, Chonwerawong M, D'Adamo GL, Thomason T, Widdop JT, Rutten EL, Rossetto Marcelino V, Bryant RV, Costello SP, O'Brien CL, Hold GL, Giles EM, Forster SC. Review article: the future of microbiome-based therapeutics. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2022; 56:192-208. [PMID: 35611465 PMCID: PMC9322325 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND From consumption of fermented foods and probiotics to emerging applications of faecal microbiota transplantation, the health benefit of manipulating the human microbiota has been exploited for millennia. Despite this history, recent technological advances are unlocking the capacity for targeted microbial manipulation as a novel therapeutic. AIM This review summarises the current developments in microbiome-based medicines and provides insight into the next steps required for therapeutic development. METHODS Here we review current and emerging approaches and assess the capabilities and weaknesses of these technologies to provide safe and effective clinical interventions. Key literature was identified through Pubmed searches with the following key words, 'microbiome', 'microbiome biomarkers', 'probiotics', 'prebiotics', 'synbiotics', 'faecal microbiota transplant', 'live biotherapeutics', 'microbiome mimetics' and 'postbiotics'. RESULTS Improved understanding of the human microbiome and recent technological advances provide an opportunity to develop a new generation of therapies. These therapies will range from dietary interventions, prebiotic supplementations, single probiotic bacterial strains, human donor-derived faecal microbiota transplants, rationally selected combinations of bacterial strains as live biotherapeutics, and the beneficial products or effects produced by bacterial strains, termed microbiome mimetics. CONCLUSIONS Although methods to identify and refine these therapeutics are continually advancing, the rapid emergence of these new approaches necessitates accepted technological and ethical frameworks for measurement, testing, laboratory practices and clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L. Gulliver
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Remy B. Young
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Michelle Chonwerawong
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Gemma L. D'Adamo
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Tamblyn Thomason
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - James T. Widdop
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Emily L. Rutten
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Vanessa Rossetto Marcelino
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Robert V. Bryant
- Department of GastroenterologyThe Queen Elizabeth HospitalWoodvilleSouth AustraliaAustralia,School of MedicineUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Samuel P. Costello
- Department of GastroenterologyThe Queen Elizabeth HospitalWoodvilleSouth AustraliaAustralia,School of MedicineUniversity of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | | | - Georgina L. Hold
- Microbiome Research Centre, St George & Sutherland Clinical SchoolUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Edward M. Giles
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of PaediatricsMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Samuel C. Forster
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious DiseasesHudson Institute of Medical ResearchClaytonVictoriaAustralia,Department of Molecular and Translational SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
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11
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Jahagirdar D, Yadav S, Gore M, Korpale V, Mathpati CS, Chidambaram S, Majumder A, Jain R, Dandekar P. Compartmentalized microfluidic device for in vitro co‐culture of retinal cells. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2100530. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Devashree Jahagirdar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
| | - Shital Yadav
- Department of Chemical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai 400076 India
| | - Manish Gore
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
| | - Vikram Korpale
- Department of Chemical Engineering Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
| | - C S Mathpati
- Department of Chemical Engineering Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
| | - Subbulakshmi Chidambaram
- Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Pondicherry Central University Puducherry 605014 India
| | - Abhijit Majumder
- Department of Chemical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai 400076 India
| | - Ratnesh Jain
- Department of Chemical Engineering Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
| | - Prajakta Dandekar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology Institute of Chemical Technology Mumbai 400019 India
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12
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Rathore RS, R Ayyannan S, Mahto SK. Emerging three-dimensional neuronal culture assays for neurotherapeutics drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:619-628. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2061458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul S Rathore
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Laboratory II, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Senthil R Ayyannan
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Laboratory II, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Sanjeev K Mahto
- Tissue Engineering and Biomicrofluidics Laboratory, School of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi-221005, UP, India
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13
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Alternative Brain Slice-on-a-Chip for Organotypic Culture and Effective Fluorescence Injection Testing. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052549. [PMID: 35269696 PMCID: PMC8910551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse brain slices are one of the most common models to study brain development and functioning, increasing the number of study models that integrate microfluidic systems for hippocampal slice cultures. This report presents an alternative brain slice-on-a-chip, integrating an injection system inside the chip to dispense a fluorescent dye for long-term monitoring. Hippocampal slices have been cultured inside these chips, observing fluorescence signals from living cells, maintaining the cytoarchitecture of the slices. Having fluorescence images of biological samples inside the chip demonstrates the effectiveness of the staining process using the injection method avoiding leaks or biological contamination. The technology developed in this study presents a significant improvement in the local administration of reagents within a brain slice-on-a-chip system, which could be a suitable option for organotypic cultures in a microfluidic chip acting as a highly effective bioreactor.
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14
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Prasanna P, Rathee S, Rahul V, Mandal D, Chandra Goud MS, Yadav P, Hawthorne S, Sharma A, Gupta PK, Ojha S, Jha NK, Villa C, Jha SK. Microfluidic Platforms to Unravel Mysteries of Alzheimer's Disease: How Far Have We Come? Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11101022. [PMID: 34685393 PMCID: PMC8537508 DOI: 10.3390/life11101022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant health concern with enormous social and economic impact globally. The gradual deterioration of cognitive functions and irreversible neuronal losses are primary features of the disease. Even after decades of research, most therapeutic options are merely symptomatic, and drugs in clinical practice present numerous side effects. Lack of effective diagnostic techniques prevents the early prognosis of disease, resulting in a gradual deterioration in the quality of life. Furthermore, the mechanism of cognitive impairment and AD pathophysiology is poorly understood. Microfluidics exploits different microscale properties of fluids to mimic environments on microfluidic chip-like devices. These miniature multichambered devices can be used to grow cells and 3D tissues in vitro, analyze cell-to-cell communication, decipher the roles of neural cells such as microglia, and gain insights into AD pathophysiology. This review focuses on the applications and impact of microfluidics on AD research. We discuss the technical challenges and possible solutions provided by this new cutting-edge technique to understand disease-associated pathways and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Prasanna
- School of Applied Sciences, KK University, Nalanda 803115, Bihar, India;
- Correspondence: or (P.P.); (S.K.J.)
| | - Shweta Rathee
- Department of Food Science and Technology, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonipat 131028, Haryana, India;
| | - Vedanabhatla Rahul
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008, Odisha, India;
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844101, Bihar, India;
| | | | - Pardeep Yadav
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India; (P.Y.); (N.K.J.)
| | - Susan Hawthorne
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co., Londonderry BT52 1SA, UK;
| | - Ankur Sharma
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Science and Research (SBSR), Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India; (A.S.); (P.K.G.)
| | - Piyush Kumar Gupta
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Science and Research (SBSR), Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India; (A.S.); (P.K.G.)
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, P.O. Box 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India; (P.Y.); (N.K.J.)
| | - Chiara Villa
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy;
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida 201310, Uttar Pradesh, India; (P.Y.); (N.K.J.)
- Correspondence: or (P.P.); (S.K.J.)
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15
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Saleheen A, Acharyya D, Prosser RA, Baker CA. A microfluidic bubble perfusion device for brain slice culture. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2021; 13:1364-1373. [PMID: 33644791 DOI: 10.1039/d0ay02291h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Ex vivo brain slice cultures are utilized as analytical models for studying neurophysiology. Common approaches to maintaining slice cultures include roller tube and membrane interface techniques. The rise of organ-on-chip technologies has demonstrated the value of microfluidic perfusion culture systems for sampling and analysis of complex biology under well-controlled in vitro or ex vivo conditions. A number of approaches to microfluidic brain slice culture have been developed, however these typically involve complex design, fabrication, or operational parameters in order to meet the high oxygen demands of brain slices. Here, we present proof-of-principle for a novel approach to microfluidic brain slice culture. In this system, which we term a microfluidic bubble perfusion device, principles of droplet microfluidics were employed to generate droplets of perfusion media dispersed between bubbles of carbogen gas, and brain tissue slices were perfused with the resulting monodispersed droplets and bubbles. The challenge of tissue immobilization in the flow system was addressed using a two-part cytocompatible carbohydrate-based tissue adhesive. Best practices are discussed for perfusion chamber designs that maintain segmented flow throughout the course of perfusion. Control of droplet and bubble volumes was possible across the range of ca. 4-15 μL, bubble generation frequency was well controlled in the range ca. 1-7 bubbles per min, and bubble duty cycle was well controlled across the range ca. 20-80%. Murine hypothalamic tissue slices containing the suprachiasmatic nuclei were successfully maintained for durations of 8-10 hours, with tissue remaining viable for the duration of perfusion as assessed by Ca2+ imaging and propidium iodide (PI) staining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirus Saleheen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
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16
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Sharma S, Venzac B, Burgers T, Le Gac S, Schlatt S. Microfluidics in male reproduction: is ex vivo culture of primate testis tissue a future strategy for ART or toxicology research? Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 26:179-192. [PMID: 31977028 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The significant rise in male infertility disorders over the years has led to extensive research efforts to recapitulate the process of male gametogenesis in vitro and to identify essential mechanisms involved in spermatogenesis, notably for clinical applications. A promising technology to bridge this research gap is organ-on-chip (OoC) technology, which has gradually transformed the research landscape in ART and offers new opportunities to develop advanced in vitro culture systems. With exquisite control on a cell or tissue microenvironment, customized organ-specific structures can be fabricated in in vitro OoC platforms, which can also simulate the effect of in vivo vascularization. Dynamic cultures using microfluidic devices enable us to create stimulatory effect and non-stimulatory culture conditions. Noteworthy is that recent studies demonstrated the potential of continuous perfusion in OoC systems using ex vivo mouse testis tissues. Here we review the existing literature and potential applications of such OoC systems for male reproduction in combination with novel bio-engineering and analytical tools. We first introduce OoC technology and highlight the opportunities offered in reproductive biology in general. In the subsequent section, we discuss the complex structural and functional organization of the testis and the role of the vasculature-associated testicular niche and fluid dynamics in modulating testis function. Next, we review significant technological breakthroughs in achieving in vitro spermatogenesis in various species and discuss the evidence from microfluidics-based testes culture studies in mouse. Lastly, we discuss a roadmap for the potential applications of the proposed testis-on-chip culture system in the field of primate male infertility, ART and reproductive toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Sharma
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bastien Venzac
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Burgers
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Séverine Le Gac
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Schlatt
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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17
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Nikolakopoulou P, Rauti R, Voulgaris D, Shlomy I, Maoz BM, Herland A. Recent progress in translational engineered in vitro models of the central nervous system. Brain 2020; 143:3181-3213. [PMID: 33020798 PMCID: PMC7719033 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the human brain poses a substantial challenge for the development of models of the CNS. Current animal models lack many essential human characteristics (in addition to raising operational challenges and ethical concerns), and conventional in vitro models, in turn, are limited in their capacity to provide information regarding many functional and systemic responses. Indeed, these challenges may underlie the notoriously low success rates of CNS drug development efforts. During the past 5 years, there has been a leap in the complexity and functionality of in vitro systems of the CNS, which have the potential to overcome many of the limitations of traditional model systems. The availability of human-derived induced pluripotent stem cell technology has further increased the translational potential of these systems. Yet, the adoption of state-of-the-art in vitro platforms within the CNS research community is limited. This may be attributable to the high costs or the immaturity of the systems. Nevertheless, the costs of fabrication have decreased, and there are tremendous ongoing efforts to improve the quality of cell differentiation. Herein, we aim to raise awareness of the capabilities and accessibility of advanced in vitro CNS technologies. We provide an overview of some of the main recent developments (since 2015) in in vitro CNS models. In particular, we focus on engineered in vitro models based on cell culture systems combined with microfluidic platforms (e.g. 'organ-on-a-chip' systems). We delve into the fundamental principles underlying these systems and review several applications of these platforms for the study of the CNS in health and disease. Our discussion further addresses the challenges that hinder the implementation of advanced in vitro platforms in personalized medicine or in large-scale industrial settings, and outlines the existing differentiation protocols and industrial cell sources. We conclude by providing practical guidelines for laboratories that are considering adopting organ-on-a-chip technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polyxeni Nikolakopoulou
- AIMES, Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rossana Rauti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dimitrios Voulgaris
- Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Iftach Shlomy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ben M Maoz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Anna Herland
- AIMES, Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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18
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Belanger MC, Anbaei P, Dunn AF, Kinman AW, Pompano RR. Spatially Resolved Analytical Chemistry in Intact, Living Tissues. Anal Chem 2020; 92:15255-15262. [PMID: 33201681 PMCID: PMC7864589 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tissues are an exciting frontier for bioanalytical chemistry, one in which spatial distribution is just as important as total content. Intact tissue preserves the native cellular and molecular organization and the cell-cell contacts found in vivo. Live tissue, in particular, offers the potential to analyze dynamic events in a spatially resolved manner, leading to fundamental biological insights and translational discoveries. In this Perspective, we provide a tutorial on the four fundamental challenges for the bioanalytical chemist working in living tissue samples as well as best practices for mitigating them. The challenges include (i) the complexity of the sample matrix, which contributes myriad interfering species and causes nonspecific binding of reagents; (ii) hindered delivery and mixing; (iii) the need to maintain physiological conditions; and (iv) tissue reactivity. This framework is relevant to a variety of methods for spatially resolved chemical analysis, including optical imaging, inserted sensors and probes such as electrodes, and surface analyses such as sensing arrays. The discussion focuses primarily on ex vivo tissues, though many considerations are relevant in vivo as well. Our goal is to convey the exciting potential of analytical chemistry to contribute to understanding the functions of live, intact tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura C. Belanger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, PO BOX 400319, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Parastoo Anbaei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, PO BOX 400319, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Austin F. Dunn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, PO BOX 400319, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Andrew W.L. Kinman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, PO BOX 400319, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Rebecca R. Pompano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, PO BOX 400319, Charlottesville, VA 22904
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19
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Lim GN, Regan SL, Ross AE. Subsecond spontaneous catecholamine release in mesenteric lymph node ex vivo. J Neurochem 2020; 155:417-429. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gary N. Lim
- Department of Chemistry University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH USA
| | - Samantha L. Regan
- Department of Pediatrics University of CincinnatiCollege of Medicine and Division of NeurologyCincinnati Children’s Research Foundation Cincinnati OH USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH USA
| | - Ashley E. Ross
- Department of Chemistry University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program University of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH USA
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20
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de Hoyos-Vega JM, Gonzalez-Suarez AM, Garcia-Cordero JL. A versatile microfluidic device for multiple ex vivo/in vitro tissue assays unrestrained from tissue topography. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2020; 6:40. [PMID: 34567653 PMCID: PMC8433291 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-020-0156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Precision-cut tissue slices are an important in vitro system to study organ function because they preserve most of the native cellular microenvironments of organs, including complex intercellular connections. However, during sample manipulation or slicing, some of the natural surface topology and structure of these tissues is lost or damaged. Here, we introduce a microfluidic platform to perform multiple assays on the surface of a tissue section, unhindered by surface topography. The device consists of a valve on one side and eight open microchannels located on the opposite side, with the tissue section sandwiched between these two structures. When the valve is actuated, eight independent microfluidic channels are formed over a tissue section. This strategy prevents cross-contamination when performing assays and enables parallelization. Using irregular tissues such as an aorta, we conducted multiple in vitro and ex vivo assays on tissue sections, including short-term culturing, a drug toxicity assay, a fluorescence immunohistochemistry staining assay, and an immune cell assay, in which we observed the interaction of neutrophils with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated endothelium. Our microfluidic platform can be employed in other disciplines, such as tissue physiology and pathophysiology, morphogenesis, drug toxicity and efficiency, metabolism studies, and diagnostics, enabling the conduction of several assays with a single biopsy sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M. de Hoyos-Vega
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Via del conocimiento 201, Parque PIIT, Apodaca, NL 66628 Mexico
| | - Alan M. Gonzalez-Suarez
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Via del conocimiento 201, Parque PIIT, Apodaca, NL 66628 Mexico
| | - Jose L. Garcia-Cordero
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Via del conocimiento 201, Parque PIIT, Apodaca, NL 66628 Mexico
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21
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Horowitz LF, Rodriguez AD, Dereli-Korkut Z, Lin R, Castro K, Mikheev AM, Monnat RJ, Folch A, Rostomily RC. Multiplexed drug testing of tumor slices using a microfluidic platform. NPJ Precis Oncol 2020; 4:12. [PMID: 32435696 PMCID: PMC7237421 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-020-0117-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Current methods to assess the drug response of individual human cancers are often inaccurate, costly, or slow. Functional approaches that rapidly and directly assess the response of patient cancer tissue to drugs or small molecules offer a promising way to improve drug testing, and have the potential to identify the best therapy for individual patients. We developed a digitally manufactured microfluidic platform for multiplexed drug testing of intact cancer slice cultures, and demonstrate the use of this platform to evaluate drug responses in slice cultures from human glioma xenografts and patient tumor biopsies. This approach retains much of the tissue microenvironment and can provide results rapidly enough, within days of surgery, to guide the choice of effective initial therapies. Our results establish a useful preclinical platform for cancer drug testing and development with the potential to improve cancer personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. F. Horowitz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - A. D. Rodriguez
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Z. Dereli-Korkut
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - R. Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - K. Castro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - A. M. Mikheev
- Department of Neurosurgery, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - R. J. Monnat
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - A. Folch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - R. C. Rostomily
- Department of Neurosurgery, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
- Weill Cornell School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, New York, NY USA
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22
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Zhao Y, Demirci U, Chen Y, Chen P. Multiscale brain research on a microfluidic chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:1531-1543. [PMID: 32150176 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc01010f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
One major challenge in current brain research is generating an integrative understanding of the brain's functions and disorders from its multiscale neuronal architectures and connectivity. Thus, innovative neurotechnology tools are urgently required for deciphering the multiscale functional and structural organizations of the brain at hierarchical scales from the molecular to the organismal level by multiple brain research initiatives launched by the European Union, United States, Australia, Canada, China, Korea, and Japan. To meet this demand, microfluidic chips (μFCs) have rapidly evolved as a trans-scale neurotechnological toolset to enable multiscale studies of the brain due to their unique advantages in flexible microstructure design, multifunctional integration, accurate microenvironment control, and capacity for automatic sample processing. Here, we review the recent progress in applying innovative μFC-based neuro-technologies to promote multiscale brain research and uniquely focus on representative applications of μFCs to address challenges in brain research at each hierarchical level. We discuss the current trend of combinational applications of μFCs with other neuro- and biotechnologies, including optogenetics, brain organoids, and 3D bioprinting, for better multiscale brain research. In addition, we offer our insights into the existing outstanding questions at each hierarchical level of brain research that could potentially be addressed by advancing microfluidic techniques. This review will serve as a timely guide for bioengineers and neuroscientists to develop and apply μFC-based neuro-technologies for promoting basic and translational brain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, 115 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China.
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23
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Lourenço CF, Caetano M, Ledo A, Barbosa RM. Platinized carbon fiber-based glucose microbiosensor designed for metabolic studies in brain slices. Bioelectrochemistry 2019; 130:107325. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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OTA N, KANDA GN, MORIGUCHI H, AISHAN Y, SHEN Y, YAMADA RG, UEDA HR, TANAKA Y. A Microfluidic Platform Based on Robust Gas and Liquid Exchange for Long-term Culturing of Explanted Tissues. ANAL SCI 2019; 35:1141-1147. [DOI: 10.2116/analsci.19p099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yigang SHEN
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN
| | | | - Hiroki R. UEDA
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
| | - Yo TANAKA
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN
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Shim S, Belanger MC, Harris AR, Munson JM, Pompano RR. Two-way communication between ex vivo tissues on a microfluidic chip: application to tumor-lymph node interaction. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:1013-1026. [PMID: 30742147 PMCID: PMC6416076 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00957k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Experimentally accessible tools to replicate the complex biological events of in vivo organs offer the potential to reveal mechanisms of disease and potential routes to therapy. In particular, models of inter-organ communication are emerging as the next essential step towards creating a body-on-a-chip, and may be particularly useful for poorly understood processes such as tumor immunity. In this paper, we report the first multi-compartment microfluidic chip that continuously recirculates a small volume of media through two ex vivo tissue samples to support inter-organ cross-talk via secreted factors. To test on-chip communication, protein release and capture were quantified using well-defined artificial tissue samples and model proteins. Proteins released by one sample were transferred to the downstream reservoir and detectable in the downstream sample. Next, the chip was applied to model the communication between a tumor and a lymph node, to test whether on-chip dual-organ culture could recreate key features of tumor-induced immune suppression. Slices of murine lymph node were co-cultured with tumor or healthy tissue on-chip with recirculating media, then tested for their ability to respond to T cell stimulation. Interestingly, lymph node slices co-cultured with tumor slices appeared more immunosuppressed than those co-cultured with healthy tissue, suggesting that the chip may successfully model some features of tumor-immune interaction. In conclusion, this new microfluidic system provides on-chip co-culture of pairs of tissue slices under continuous recirculating flow, and has the potential to model complex inter-organ communication ex vivo with full experimental accessibility of the tissues and their media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangjo Shim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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Hartlaub AM, McElroy CA, Maitre NL, Hester ME. Modeling Human Brain Circuitry Using Pluripotent Stem Cell Platforms. Front Pediatr 2019; 7:57. [PMID: 30891437 PMCID: PMC6411708 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2019.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits are the underlying functional units of the human brain that govern complex behavior and higher-order cognitive processes. Disruptions in neural circuit development have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and schizophrenia. Until recently, major efforts utilizing neurological disease modeling platforms based on human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), investigated disease phenotypes primarily at the single cell level. However, recent advances in brain organoid systems, microfluidic devices, and advanced optical and electrical interfaces, now allow more complex hiPSC-based systems to model neuronal connectivity and investigate the specific brain circuitry implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we review emerging research advances in studying brain circuitry using in vitro and in vivo disease modeling platforms including microfluidic devices, enhanced functional recording interfaces, and brain organoid systems. Research efforts in these areas have already yielded critical insights into pathophysiological mechanisms and will continue to stimulate innovation in this promising area of translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa M. Hartlaub
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Craig A. McElroy
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Nathalie L. Maitre
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Mark E. Hester
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
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Schwerdtfeger LA, Tobet SA. From organotypic culture to body-on-a-chip: A neuroendocrine perspective. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12650. [PMID: 30307079 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The methods used to study neuroendocrinology have been as diverse as the discoveries to come out of the field. Maintaining live neurones outside of a body in vitro was important from the beginning, building on methods that dated back to at least the first decade of the 20th Century. Neurosecretion defines an essential foundation of neuroendocrinology based on work that began in the 1920s and 1930s. Throughout the first half of the 20th Century, many paradigms arose for studying everything from single neurones to whole organs in vitro. Two of these survived as preeminent systems for use throughout the second half of the century: cell cultures and explant systems. Slice cultures and explants that emerged as organotypic technologies included such neuroendocrine organs such as the brain, pituitary, adrenals and intestine. The vast majority of these studies were carried out in static cultures for which media were changed over a time scale of days. Tissues were used for experimental techniques such as electrical recording of neuronal physiology in single cells and observation by live microscopy. When maintained in vitro, many of these systems only partially capture the in vivo physiology of the organ system of interest, often because of a lack of cellular diversity (eg, neuronal cultures lacking glia). Modern microfluidic methodologies show promise for organ systems, ranging from the reproductive to the gastrointestinal to the brain. Moving forward and striving to understand the mechanisms that drive neuroendocrine signalling centrally and peripherally, there will always be a need to consider the heterogeneous cellular compositions of organs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A Schwerdtfeger
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Stuart A Tobet
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Simeone K, Guay-Lord R, Lateef MA, Péant B, Kendall-Dupont J, Orimoto AM, Carmona E, Provencher D, Saad F, Gervais T, Mes-Masson AM. Paraffin-embedding lithography and micro-dissected tissue micro-arrays: tools for biological and pharmacological analysis of ex vivo solid tumors. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:693-705. [PMID: 30671574 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00982a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need and strong clinical and pharmaceutical interest in developing assays that allow for the direct testing of therapeutic agents on primary tissues. Current technologies fail to provide the required sample longevity, throughput, and integration with standard clinically proven assays to make the approach viable. Here we report a microfluidic micro-histological platform that enables ex vivo culture of a large array of prostate and ovarian cancer micro-dissected tissue (MDT) followed by direct on-chip fixation and paraffination, a process we term paraffin-embedding lithography (PEL). The result is a high density MDT-Micro Array (MDTMA) compatible with standard clinical histopathology that can be used to analyse ex vivo tumor response or resistance to therapeutic agents. The cellular morphology and tissue architecture are preserved in MDTs throughout the 15 day culture period. We also demonstrate how this methodology can be used to study molecular pathways involved in cancer by performing in-depth characterization of biological and pharmacological mechanisms such as p65 nuclear translocation via TNF stimuli, and to predict the treatment outcome in the clinic via MDT response to taxane-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Simeone
- Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM)/Institut du Cancer de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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S Iliescu F, Sim WJ, Heidari H, P Poenar D, Miao J, Taylor HK, Iliescu C. Highlighting the uniqueness in dielectrophoretic enrichment of circulating tumor cells. Electrophoresis 2019; 40:1457-1477. [PMID: 30676660 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201800446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play an essential role in the metastasis of tumors, and thus can serve as a valuable prognostic factor for malignant diseases. As a result, the ability to isolate and characterize CTCs is essential. This review underlines the potential of dielectrophoresis for CTCs enrichment. It begins by summarizing the key performance parameters and challenges of CTCs isolation using microfluidics. The two main categories of CTCs enrichment-affinity-based and label-free methods-are analysed, emphasising the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as their clinical potential. While the main argument in favour of affinity-based methods is the strong specificity of CTCs isolation, the major advantage of the label-free technologies is in preserving the integrity of the cellular membrane, an essential requirement for downstream characterization. Moving forward, we try to answer the main question: "What makes dielectrophoresis a method of choice in CTCs isolation?" The uniqueness of dielectrophoretic CTCs enrichment resides in coupling the specificity of the isolation process with the conservation of the membrane surface. The specificity of the dielectrophoretic method stems from the differences in the dielectric properties between CTCs and other cells in the blood: the capacitances of the malignantly transformed cellular membranes of CTCs differ from those of other cells. Examples of dielectrophoretic devices are described and their performance evaluated. Critical requirements for using dielectrophoresis to isolate CTCs are highlighted. Finally, we consider that DEP has the potential of becoming a cytometric method for large-scale sorting and characterization of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wen Jing Sim
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hossein Heidari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Daniel P Poenar
- VALENS-Centre for Bio Devices and Signal Analysis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Jianmin Miao
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Hayden K Taylor
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ciprian Iliescu
- Biomedical Institute for Global Health Research & Technology (BIGHEART), National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Pacitti D, Privolizzi R, Bax BE. Organs to Cells and Cells to Organoids: The Evolution of in vitro Central Nervous System Modelling. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:129. [PMID: 31024259 PMCID: PMC6465581 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
With 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses, the human brain is not just the most complex organ in the human body, but has also been described as "the most complex thing in the universe." The limited availability of human living brain tissue for the study of neurogenesis, neural processes and neurological disorders has resulted in more than a century-long strive from researchers worldwide to model the central nervous system (CNS) and dissect both its striking physiology and enigmatic pathophysiology. The invaluable knowledge gained with the use of animal models and post mortem human tissue remains limited to cross-species similarities and structural features, respectively. The advent of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) and 3-D organoid technologies has revolutionised the approach to the study of human brain and CNS in vitro, presenting great potential for disease modelling and translational adoption in drug screening and regenerative medicine, also contributing beneficially to clinical research. We have surveyed more than 100 years of research in CNS modelling and provide in this review an historical excursus of its evolution, from early neural tissue explants and organotypic cultures, to 2-D patient-derived cell monolayers, to the latest development of 3-D cerebral organoids. We have generated a comprehensive summary of CNS modelling techniques and approaches, protocol refinements throughout the course of decades and developments in the study of specific neuropathologies. Current limitations and caveats such as clonal variation, developmental stage, validation of pluripotency and chromosomal stability, functional assessment, reproducibility, accuracy and scalability of these models are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Pacitti
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Riccardo Privolizzi
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget E. Bax
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George’s, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Bridget E. Bax,
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Lossi L, Merighi A. The Use of ex Vivo Rodent Platforms in Neuroscience Translational Research With Attention to the 3Rs Philosophy. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:164. [PMID: 30073174 PMCID: PMC6060265 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The principles of the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—are at the basis of most advanced national and supranational (EU) regulations on animal experimentation and welfare. In the perspective to reduce and refine the use of these animals in translational research, we here discuss the use of rodent acute and organotypically cultured central nervous system slices. We describe novel applications of these ex vivo platforms in medium-throughput screening of neuroactive molecules of potential pharmacological interest, with particular attention to more recent developments that permit to fully exploit the potential of direct genetic engineering of organotypic cultures using transfection techniques. We then describe the perspectives for expanding the use ex vivo platforms in neuroscience studies under the 3Rs philosophy using the following approaches: (1) Use of co-cultures of two brain regions physiologically connected to each other (source-target) to analyze axon regeneration and reconstruction of circuitries; (2) Microinjection or co-cultures of primary cells and/or cell lines releasing one or more neuroactive molecules to screen their physiological and/or pharmacological effects onto neuronal survival and slice circuitry. Microinjected or co-cultured cells are ideally made fluorescent after transfection with a plasmid construct encoding green or red fluorescent protein under the control of a general promoter such as hCMV; (3) Use of “sniffer” cells sensing the release of biologically active molecules from organotypic cultures by means of fluorescent probes. These cells can be prepared with activatable green fluorescent protein, a unique chromophore that remains in a “dark” state because its maturation is inhibited, and can be made fluorescent (de-quenched) if specific cellular enzymes, such as proteases or kinases, are activated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lossi
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Adalberto Merighi
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Catterton MA, Dunn AF, Pompano RR. User-defined local stimulation of live tissue through a movable microfluidic port. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:2003-2012. [PMID: 29904762 PMCID: PMC6039252 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00204e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Many in vivo tissue responses begin locally, yet most in vitro stimuli are delivered globally. Microfluidics has a unique ability to provide focal stimulation to tissue samples with precise control over fluid location, flow rate, and composition. However, previous devices utilizing fixed ports beneath the tissue required manual alignment of the tissue over the ports, increasing the risk of mechanical damage. Here we present a novel microfluidic device that allows the user to define the location of fluid delivery to a living tissue slice without manipulating the tissue itself. The device utilized a two-component SlipChip design to create a mobile port beneath the tissue slice. A culture chamber perforated by an array of ports housed a tissue slice and was separated by a layer of fluorocarbon oil from a single delivery port, fed by a microfluidic channel in the movable layer below. We derived and validated a physical model, based on interfacial tension and flow resistance, to predict the conditions under which fluid delivery occurred without leakage into the gap between layers. Aqueous solution was delivered reproducibly to samples of tissue and gel, and the width of the delivery region was controlled primarily by convection. Tissue slice viability was not affected by stimulation on the device. As a proof-of-principle, we showed that live slices of lymph node tissue could be sequentially targeted for precise stimulation. In the future this device may serve as a platform to study the effects of fluid flow in tissues and to perform local drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A Catterton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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Yamanaka H, Komeya M, Nakamura H, Sanjo H, Sato T, Yao M, Kimura H, Fujii T, Ogawa T. A monolayer microfluidic device supporting mouse spermatogenesis with improved visibility. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 500:885-891. [PMID: 29705697 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.04.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
In our previous study, we produced a microfluidic device (MFD) which successfully maintained spermatogenesis for over 6 months in mouse testis tissues loaded in the device. In the present study, we developed a new MFD, a monolayer device (ML-D) with a barrier structure consisting of pillars and slits, which is simpler in design and easier to make. This ML-D was also effective for inducing mouse spermatogenesis and maintained it for a longer period than the conventional culture method. In addition, we devised a way of introducing sample tissue into the device during its production, just before bonding the upper layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and bottom glass slide. The tissue can obtain nutrients horizontally from the medium running beside it and oxygen vertically from above through PDMS. In addition, the glass slide set at the bottom improved the visibility of the sample tissue with an inverted microscope. When we took photos of cultured tissue of the Acr-Gfp transgenic mouse testis in ML-D sequentially every day, morphological changes of the acrosome during spermiogenesis were successfully recorded. The ML-D is simple in design and useful for culturing testis tissue for inducing and maintaining spermatogenesis with clearer visibility. Due to the new method of sample loading, tissues other than testis should also be applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Yamanaka
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical and Regenerative Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan; Department of Urology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Komeya
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical and Regenerative Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan; Department of Urology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Hiroko Nakamura
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sanjo
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical and Regenerative Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan; Department of Urology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Takuya Sato
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical and Regenerative Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yao
- Department of Urology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan.
| | - Teruo Fujii
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan.
| | - Takehiko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical and Regenerative Sciences, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan; Department of Urology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan.
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Eisemann T, Costa B, Strelau J, Mittelbronn M, Angel P, Peterziel H. An advanced glioma cell invasion assay based on organotypic brain slice cultures. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:103. [PMID: 29378533 PMCID: PMC5789681 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The poor prognosis for glioblastoma patients is caused by the diffuse infiltrative growth pattern of the tumor. Therefore, the molecular and cellular processes underlying cell migration continue to be a major focus of glioblastoma research. Emerging evidence supports the concept that the tumor microenvironment has a profound influence on the functional properties of tumor cells. Accordingly, substantial effort must be devoted to move from traditional two-dimensional migration assays to three-dimensional systems that more faithfully recapitulate the complex in vivo tumor microenvironment. METHODS In order to mimic the tumor microenvironment of adult gliomas, we used adult organotypic brain slices as an invasion matrix for implanted, fluorescently labeled tumor spheroids. Cell invasion was imaged by confocal or epi-fluorescence microscopy and quantified by determining the average cumulative sprout length per spheroid. The tumor microenvironment was manipulated by treatment of the slice with small molecule inhibitors or using different genetically engineered mouse models as donors. RESULTS Both epi-fluorescence and confocal microscopy were applied to precisely quantify cell invasion in this ex vivo approach. Usage of a red-emitting membrane dye in addition to tissue clearing drastically improved epi-fluorescence imaging. Preparation of brain slices from of a genetically engineered mouse with a loss of a specific cell surface protein resulted in significantly impaired tumor cell invasion. Furthermore, jasplakinolide treatment of either tumor cells or brain slice significantly reduced tumor cell invasion. CONCLUSION We present an optimized invasion assay that closely reflects in vivo invasion by the implantation of glioma cells into organotypic adult brain slice cultures with a preserved cytoarchitecture. The diversity of applications including manipulation of the tumor cells as well as the microenvironment, permits the investigation of rate limiting factors of cell migration in a reliable context. This model will be a valuable tool for the discovery of the molecular mechanisms underlying glioma cell invasion and, ultimately, the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Eisemann
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Costa
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens Strelau
- Functional Neuroanatomy, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michel Mittelbronn
- Institute of Neurology (Edinger-Institute), University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Luxembourg Centre of Neuropathology (LCNP), Dudelange, Luxembourg.,Laboratoire National de Santé, Dudelange, Luxembourg.,Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.,Department of Oncology, NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Luxembourg Institute of Health (L.I.H.), Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Peter Angel
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Heike Peterziel
- Division of Signal Transduction and Growth Control, DKFZ/ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.,Present address: Translational Program, Hopp Children's Cancer Center at NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ), University Hospital and DKFZ Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Present address: Clinical Cooperation Unit Pediatric Oncology, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
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Rothbauer M, Zirath H, Ertl P. Recent advances in microfluidic technologies for cell-to-cell interaction studies. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:249-270. [PMID: 29143053 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00815e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic cell cultures are ideally positioned to become the next generation of in vitro diagnostic tools for biomedical research, where key biological processes such as cell signalling and dynamic cell-to-cell interactions can be reliably analysed under reproducible physiological cell culture conditions. In the last decade, a large number of microfluidic cell analysis systems have been developed for a variety of applications including drug target optimization, drug screening and toxicological testing. More recently, advanced in vitro microfluidic cell culture systems have emerged that are capable of replicating the complex three-dimensional architectures of tissues and organs and thus represent valid biological models for investigating the mechanism and function of human tissue structures, as well as studying the onset and progression of diseases such as cancer. In this review, we present the most important developments in single-cell, 2D and 3D microfluidic cell culture systems for studying cell-to-cell interactions published over the last 6 years, with a focus on cancer research and immunotherapy, vascular models and neuroscience. In addition, the current technological development of microdevices with more advanced physiological cell microenvironments that integrate multiple organ models, namely, the so-called body-, human- and multi-organ-on-a-chip, is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rothbauer
- Vienna University of Technology, Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria.
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Ahadian S, Civitarese R, Bannerman D, Mohammadi MH, Lu R, Wang E, Davenport-Huyer L, Lai B, Zhang B, Zhao Y, Mandla S, Korolj A, Radisic M. Organ-On-A-Chip Platforms: A Convergence of Advanced Materials, Cells, and Microscale Technologies. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7. [PMID: 29034591 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201700506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Significant advances in biomaterials, stem cell biology, and microscale technologies have enabled the fabrication of biologically relevant tissues and organs. Such tissues and organs, referred to as organ-on-a-chip (OOC) platforms, have emerged as a powerful tool in tissue analysis and disease modeling for biological and pharmacological applications. A variety of biomaterials are used in tissue fabrication providing multiple biological, structural, and mechanical cues in the regulation of cell behavior and tissue morphogenesis. Cells derived from humans enable the fabrication of personalized OOC platforms. Microscale technologies are specifically helpful in providing physiological microenvironments for tissues and organs. In this review, biomaterials, cells, and microscale technologies are described as essential components to construct OOC platforms. The latest developments in OOC platforms (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, cardiac, cancer, lung, skin, bone, and brain) are then discussed as functional tools in simulating human physiology and metabolism. Future perspectives and major challenges in the development of OOC platforms toward accelerating clinical studies of drug discovery are finally highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samad Ahadian
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Robert Civitarese
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Dawn Bannerman
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Mohammad Hossein Mohammadi
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Rick Lu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Erika Wang
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Locke Davenport-Huyer
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Ben Lai
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Boyang Zhang
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Yimu Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Serena Mandla
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Anastasia Korolj
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry; University of Toronto; Toronto M5S 3G9 Ontario Canada
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38
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Zhang R, Larsen NB. Stereolithographic hydrogel printing of 3D culture chips with biofunctionalized complex 3D perfusion networks. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:4273-4282. [PMID: 29116271 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00926g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models capturing both the structural and dynamic complexity of the in vivo situation are in great demand as an alternative to animal models. Despite tremendous progress in engineering complex tissue/organ models in the past decade, approaches that support the required freedom in design, detail and chemistry for fabricating truly 3D constructs have remained limited. Here, we report a stereolithographic high-resolution 3D printing technique utilizing poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA, MW 700) to manufacture diffusion-open and mechanically stable hydrogel constructs as self-contained chips, where confined culture volumes are traversed and surrounded by perfusable vascular-like networks. An optimized resin formulation enables printing of hydrogel chips holding perfusable microchannels with a cross-section as small as 100 μm × 100 μm, and the printed microchannels can be steadily perfused for at least one week. In addition, the integration of multiple independently perfusable and structurally stable channel systems further allows for easy combination of different bulk material volumes at exact relative spatial positions. We demonstrate this structural and material flexibility by embedding a highly compliant cell-laden gelatin hydrogel within the confines of a 3D printed resilient PEGDA hydrogel chip of intermediate compliance. Overall, our proposed strategy represents an automated, cost-effective and high resolution technique to manufacture complex 3D constructs containing microfluidic perfusion networks for advanced in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujing Zhang
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, DTU Nanotech, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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Watson DE, Hunziker R, Wikswo JP. Fitting tissue chips and microphysiological systems into the grand scheme of medicine, biology, pharmacology, and toxicology. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2017; 242:1559-1572. [PMID: 29065799 DOI: 10.1177/1535370217732765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Microphysiological systems (MPS), which include engineered organoids (EOs), single organ/tissue chips (TCs), and multiple organs interconnected to create miniature in vitro models of human physiological systems, are rapidly becoming effective tools for drug development and the mechanistic understanding of tissue physiology and pathophysiology. The second MPS thematic issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine comprises 15 articles by scientists and engineers from the National Institutes of Health, the IQ Consortium, the Food and Drug Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency, an MPS company, and academia. Topics include the progress, challenges, and future of organs-on-chips, dissemination of TCs into Pharma, children's health protection, liver zonation, liver chips and their coupling to interconnected systems, gastrointestinal MPS, maturation of immature cardiomyocytes in a heart-on-a-chip, coculture of multiple cell types in a human skin construct, use of synthetic hydrogels to create EOs that form neural tissue models, the blood-brain barrier-on-a-chip, MPS models of coupled female reproductive organs, coupling MPS devices to create a body-on-a-chip, and the use of a microformulator to recapitulate endocrine circadian rhythms. While MPS hardware has been relatively stable since the last MPS thematic issue, there have been significant advances in cell sourcing, with increased reliance on human-induced pluripotent stem cells, and in characterization of the genetic and functional cell state in MPS bioreactors. There is growing appreciation of the need to minimize perfusate-to-cell-volume ratios and respect physiological scaling of coupled TCs. Questions asked by drug developers are followed by an analysis of the potential value, costs, and needs of Pharma. Of highest value and lowest switching costs may be the development of MPS disease models to aid in the discovery of disease mechanisms; novel compounds including probes, leads, and clinical candidates; and mechanism of action of drug candidates. Impact statement Microphysiological systems (MPS), which include engineered organoids and both individual and coupled organs-on-chips and tissue chips, are a rapidly growing topic of research that addresses the known limitations of conventional cellular monoculture on flat plastic - a well-perfected set of techniques that produces reliable, statistically significant results that may not adequately represent human biology and disease. As reviewed in this article and the others in this thematic issue, MPS research has made notable progress in the past three years in both cell sourcing and characterization. As the field matures, currently identified challenges are being addressed, and new ones are being recognized. Building upon investments by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and Environmental Protection Agency of more than $200 million since 2012 and sizable corporate spending, academic and commercial players in the MPS community are demonstrating their ability to meet the translational challenges required to apply MPS technologies to accelerate drug development and advance toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosemarie Hunziker
- 2 National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John P Wikswo
- 3 Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, and Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1807, USA
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40
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Pompano RR, Chiang AH, Kastrup CJ, Ismagilov RF. Conceptual and Experimental Tools to Understand Spatial Effects and Transport Phenomena in Nonlinear Biochemical Networks Illustrated with Patchy Switching. Annu Rev Biochem 2017; 86:333-356. [PMID: 28654324 PMCID: PMC10852032 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-060815-014207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Many biochemical systems are spatially heterogeneous and exhibit nonlinear behaviors, such as state switching in response to small changes in the local concentration of diffusible molecules. Systems as varied as blood clotting, intracellular calcium signaling, and tissue inflammation are all heavily influenced by the balance of rates of reaction and mass transport phenomena including flow and diffusion. Transport of signaling molecules is also affected by geometry and chemoselective confinement via matrix binding. In this review, we use a phenomenon referred to as patchy switching to illustrate the interplay of nonlinearities, transport phenomena, and spatial effects. Patchy switching describes a change in the state of a network when the local concentration of a diffusible molecule surpasses a critical threshold. Using patchy switching as an example, we describe conceptual tools from nonlinear dynamics and chemical engineering that make testable predictions and provide a unifying description of the myriad possible experimental observations. We describe experimental microfluidic and biochemical tools emerging to test conceptual predictions by controlling transport phenomena and spatial distribution of diffusible signals, and we highlight the unmet need for in vivo tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R Pompano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904;
| | - Andrew H Chiang
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637;
| | - Christian J Kastrup
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada;
| | - Rustem F Ismagilov
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125;
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Giwa S, Lewis JK, Alvarez L, Langer R, Roth AE, Church GM, Markmann JF, Sachs DH, Chandraker A, Wertheim JA, Rothblatt M, Boyden ES, Eidbo E, Lee WPA, Pomahac B, Brandacher G, Weinstock DM, Elliott G, Nelson D, Acker JP, Uygun K, Schmalz B, Weegman BP, Tocchio A, Fahy GM, Storey KB, Rubinsky B, Bischof J, Elliott JAW, Woodruff TK, Morris GJ, Demirci U, Brockbank KGM, Woods EJ, Ben RN, Baust JG, Gao D, Fuller B, Rabin Y, Kravitz DC, Taylor MJ, Toner M. The promise of organ and tissue preservation to transform medicine. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:530-542. [PMID: 28591112 PMCID: PMC5724041 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 298] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to replace organs and tissues on demand could save or improve millions of lives each year globally and create public health benefits on par with curing cancer. Unmet needs for organ and tissue preservation place enormous logistical limitations on transplantation, regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and a variety of rapidly advancing areas spanning biomedicine. A growing coalition of researchers, clinicians, advocacy organizations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders has assembled to address the unmet need for preservation advances, outlining remaining challenges and identifying areas of underinvestment and untapped opportunities. Meanwhile, recent discoveries provide proofs of principle for breakthroughs in a family of research areas surrounding biopreservation. These developments indicate that a new paradigm, integrating multiple existing preservation approaches and new technologies that have flourished in the past 10 years, could transform preservation research. Capitalizing on these opportunities will require engagement across many research areas and stakeholder groups. A coordinated effort is needed to expedite preservation advances that can transform several areas of medicine and medical science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Giwa
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Ossium Health, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jedediah K Lewis
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Regenerative Biology Research Group, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alvin E Roth
- Department of Economics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James F Markmann
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David H Sachs
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anil Chandraker
- American Society of Transplantation, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, USA
- Transplantation Research Center, Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jason A Wertheim
- American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Arlington Virginia, USA
- Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Edward S Boyden
- MIT Media Lab and McGovern Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elling Eidbo
- Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, Vienna, Virginia, USA
| | - W P Andrew Lee
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Bohdan Pomahac
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gerald Brandacher
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David M Weinstock
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gloria Elliott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - David Nelson
- Department of Transplant Medicine, Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jason P Acker
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Department of Surgery, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Boris Schmalz
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Brad P Weegman
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Alessandro Tocchio
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Greg M Fahy
- 21st Century Medicine, Fontana, California, USA
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Boris Rubinsky
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - John Bischof
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Janet A W Elliott
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Teresa K Woodruff
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Reproductive Science in Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Utkan Demirci
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering (by courtesy), Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Erik J Woods
- Ossium Health, San Francisco, California, USA
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Robert N Ben
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Baust
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Dayong Gao
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Barry Fuller
- Division of Surgery &Interventional Science, University College Medical School, Royal Free Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Yoed Rabin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Michael J Taylor
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Department of Surgery, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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42
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Wang L, Tao T, Su W, Yu H, Yu Y, Qin J. A disease model of diabetic nephropathy in a glomerulus-on-a-chip microdevice. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:1749-1760. [PMID: 28418422 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00134g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy is a major chronic renal complication of diabetes mellitus, and is the leading cause of end-stage kidney diseases. Establishing a disease model of diabetic nephropathy in vitro can accelerate the understanding of its mechanisms and pharmaceutical development. We provide the proof-of-principle for using a glomerulus-on-a-chip microdevice that reconstitutes organ-level kidney functions to create a human disease model of early stage diabetic nephropathy on chip. The microfluidic device, which recapitulates the glomerular microenvironment, consists of parallel channels lined by isolated primary glomerular microtissues that experience fluid flow to mimic the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB), including glomerular endothelial cells, 3D basement membrane and podocytes. This device was used to reproduce high glucose-induced critical pathological responses in diabetic nephropathy as observed in humans. The results reveal that hyperglycemia plays a crucial role in the development of increased barrier permeability to albumin and glomerular dysfunction that lead to proteinuria. This organ-on-a-chip microdevice mimics the critical pathological responses of glomerulus that are characteristic of diabetic nephropathy that has not been possible by cell-based and animal models, providing a useful platform for studying the mechanism of diabetic nephropathy and developing an effective therapy in glomerular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Tingting Tao
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Wentao Su
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Hao Yu
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Yue Yu
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Jianhua Qin
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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43
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Ross AE, Belanger MC, Woodroof JF, Pompano RR. Spatially resolved microfluidic stimulation of lymphoid tissue ex vivo. Analyst 2017; 142:649-659. [PMID: 27900374 PMCID: PMC7863610 DOI: 10.1039/c6an02042a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The lymph node is a structurally complex organ of the immune system, whose dynamic cellular arrangements are thought to control much of human health. Currently, no methods exist to precisely stimulate substructures within the lymph node or analyze local stimulus-response behaviors, making it difficult to rationally design therapies for inflammatory disease. Here we describe a novel integration of live lymph node slices with a microfluidic system for local stimulation. Slices maintained the cellular organization of the lymph node while making its core experimentally accessible. The 3-layer polydimethylsiloxane device consisted of a perfusion chamber stacked atop stimulation ports fed by underlying microfluidic channels. Fluorescent dextrans similar in size to common proteins, 40 and 70 kDa, were delivered to live lymph node slices with 284 ± 9 μm and 202 ± 15 μm spatial resolution, respectively, after 5 s, which is sufficient to target functional zones of the lymph node. The spread and quantity of stimulation were controlled by varying the flow rates of delivery; these were predictable using a computational model of isotropic diffusion and convection through the tissue. Delivery to two separate regions simultaneously was demonstrated, to mimic complex intercellular signaling. Delivery of a model therapeutic, glucose-conjugated albumin, to specific regions of the lymph node indicated that retention of the drug was greater in the B-cell zone than in the T-cell zone. Together, this work provides a novel platform, the lymph node slice-on-a-chip, to target and study local events in the lymph node and to inform the development of new immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Ross
- University of Virginia, Dept. of Chemistry, PO Box 400319, McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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44
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Abstract
There is no good science in bad models. Cell culture is especially prone to artifacts. A number of novel cell culture technologies have become more broadly available in the 21st century, which allow overcoming limitations of traditional culture and are more physiologically relevant. These include the use of stem-cell derived human cells, cocultures of different cell types, scaffolds and extracellular matrices, perfusion platforms (such as microfluidics), 3D culture, organ-on-chip technologies, tissue architecture, and organ functionality. The physiological relevance of such models is further enhanced by the measurement of biomarkers (e.g., key events of pathways), organ specific functionality, and more comprehensive assessment cell responses by high-content methods. These approaches are still rarely combined to create microphysiological systems. The complexity of the combination of these technologies can generate results closer to the in vivo situation but increases the number of parameters to control, bringing some new challenges. In fact, we do not argue that all cell culture needs to be that sophisticated. The efforts taken are determined by the purpose of our experiments and tests. If only a very specific molecular target to cell response is of interest, a very simple model, which reflects this, might be much more suited to allow standardization and high-throughput. However, the less defined the end point of interest and cellular response are, the better we should approximate organ- or tissue-like culture conditions to make physiological responses more probable. Besides these technologic advances, important progress in the quality assurance and reporting on cell cultures as well as the validation of cellular test systems brings the utility of cell cultures to a new level. The advancement and broader implementation of Good Cell Culture Practice (GCCP) is key here. In toxicology, this is a major prerequisite for meaningful and reliable results, ultimately supporting risk assessment and product development decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pamies
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.,CAAT-Europe, University of Konstanz , 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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45
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Jadhav AD, Wei L, Shi P. Compartmentalized Platforms for Neuro-Pharmacological Research. Curr Neuropharmacol 2016; 14:72-86. [PMID: 26813122 PMCID: PMC4787287 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x13666150516000957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Dissociated primary neuronal cell culture remains an indispensable approach for neurobiology research in order to investigate basic mechanisms underlying diverse neuronal functions, drug screening and pharmacological investigation. Compartmentalization, a widely adopted technique since its emergence in 1970s enables spatial segregation of neuronal segments and detailed investigation that is otherwise limited with traditional culture methods. Although these compartmental chambers (e.g. Campenot chamber) have been proven valuable for the investigation of Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) neurons and to some extent within Central Nervous System (CNS) neurons, their utility has remained limited given the arduous manufacturing process, incompatibility with high-resolution optical imaging and limited throughput. The development in the area of microfabrication and microfluidics has enabled creation of next generation compartmentalized devices that are cheap, easy to manufacture, require reduced sample volumes, enable precise control over the cellular microenvironment both spatially as well as temporally, and permit highthroughput testing. In this review we briefly evaluate the various compartmentalization tools used for neurobiological research, and highlight application of the emerging microfluidic platforms towards in vitro single cell neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peng Shi
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.
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46
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Karimi M, Bahrami S, Mirshekari H, Basri SMM, Nik AB, Aref AR, Akbari M, Hamblin MR. Microfluidic systems for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:2551-71. [PMID: 27296463 PMCID: PMC4935609 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00489j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Neural tissue engineering aims at developing novel approaches for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, by providing a permissive environment for the growth and differentiation of neural cells. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems provide a closer biomimetic environment, and promote better cell differentiation and improved cell function, than could be achieved by conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems. With the recent advances in the discovery and introduction of different types of stem cells for tissue engineering, microfluidic platforms have provided an improved microenvironment for the 3D-culture of stem cells. Microfluidic systems can provide more precise control over the spatiotemporal distribution of chemical and physical cues at the cellular level compared to traditional systems. Various microsystems have been designed and fabricated for the purpose of neural tissue engineering. Enhanced neural migration and differentiation, and monitoring of these processes, as well as understanding the behavior of stem cells and their microenvironment have been obtained through application of different microfluidic-based stem cell culture and tissue engineering techniques. As the technology advances it may be possible to construct a "brain-on-a-chip". In this review, we describe the basics of stem cells and tissue engineering as well as microfluidics-based tissue engineering approaches. We review recent testing of various microfluidic approaches for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Karimi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Sajad Bahrami
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. and Nanomedicine Research Association (NRA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirshekari
- Advanced Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine Research Group (ANNRG), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Masoud Moosavi Basri
- Bioenvironmental Research Center, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. and Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirala Bakhshian Nik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir R Aref
- Department of Cancer Biology, Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Mohsen Akbari
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. and Laboratory for Innovations in MicroEngineering (LiME), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. and Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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47
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Liu J, Pan L, Cheng X, Berdichevsky Y. Perfused drop microfluidic device for brain slice culture-based drug discovery. Biomed Microdevices 2016; 18:46. [PMID: 27194028 PMCID: PMC5563980 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-016-0073-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Living slices of brain tissue are widely used to model brain processes in vitro. In addition to basic neurophysiology studies, brain slices are also extensively used for pharmacology, toxicology, and drug discovery research. In these experiments, high parallelism and throughput are critical. Capability to conduct long-term electrical recording experiments may also be necessary to address disease processes that require protein synthesis and neural circuit rewiring. We developed a novel perfused drop microfluidic device for use with long term cultures of brain slices (organotypic cultures). Slices of hippocampus were placed into wells cut in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film. Fluid level in the wells was hydrostatically controlled such that a drop was formed around each slice. The drops were continuously perfused with culture medium through microchannels. We found that viable organotypic hippocampal slice cultures could be maintained for at least 9 days in vitro. PDMS microfluidic network could be readily integrated with substrate-printed microelectrodes for parallel electrical recordings of multiple perfused organotypic cultures on a single MEA chip. We expect that this highly scalable perfused drop microfluidic device will facilitate high-throughput drug discovery and toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lehigh University, 111 Research Dr. D-320, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
| | - Liping Pan
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
| | - Xuanhong Cheng
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
- Bioengineering Program, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA
| | - Yevgeny Berdichevsky
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lehigh University, 111 Research Dr. D-320, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA.
- Bioengineering Program, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA.
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48
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Tay A, Schweizer FE, Di Carlo D. Micro- and nano-technologies to probe the mechano-biology of the brain. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:1962-1977. [PMID: 27161943 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00349d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Biomechanical forces have been demonstrated to influence a plethora of neuronal functions across scales including gene expression, mechano-sensitive ion channels, neurite outgrowth and folding of the cortices in the brain. However, the detailed roles biomechanical forces may play in brain development and disorders has seen limited study, partly due to a lack of effective methods to probe the mechano-biology of the brain. Current techniques to apply biomechanical forces on neurons often suffer from low throughput and poor spatiotemporal resolution. On the other hand, newly developed micro- and nano-technologies can overcome these aforementioned limitations and offer advantages such as lower cost and possibility of non-invasive control of neuronal circuits. This review compares the range of conventional, micro- and nano-technological techniques that have been developed and how they have been or can be used to understand the effect of biomechanical forces on neuronal development and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Tay
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA and Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117583 Singapore
| | - Felix E Schweizer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA and California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Zheng F, Fu F, Cheng Y, Wang C, Zhao Y, Gu Z. Organ-on-a-Chip Systems: Microengineering to Biomimic Living Systems. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2016; 12:2253-82. [PMID: 26901595 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201503208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
"Organ-on-a-chip" systems integrate microengineering, microfluidic technologies, and biomimetic principles to create key aspects of living organs faithfully, including critical microarchitecture, spatiotemporal cell-cell interactions, and extracellular microenvironments. This creative platform and its multiorgan integration recapitulating organ-level structures and functions can bring unprecedented benefits to a diversity of applications, such as developing human in vitro models for healthy or diseased organs, enabling the investigation of fundamental mechanisms in disease etiology and organogenesis, benefiting drug development in toxicity screening and target discovery, and potentially serving as replacements for animal testing. Recent advances in novel designs and examples for developing organ-on-a-chip platforms are reviewed. The potential for using this emerging technology in understanding human physiology including mechanical, chemical, and electrical signals with precise spatiotemporal controls are discussed. The current challenges and future directions that need to be pursued for these proof-of-concept studies are also be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Fanfan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Chunyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Zhongze Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
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Killian NJ, Vernekar VN, Potter SM, Vukasinovic J. A Device for Long-Term Perfusion, Imaging, and Electrical Interfacing of Brain Tissue In vitro. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:135. [PMID: 27065793 PMCID: PMC4815559 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Distributed microelectrode array (MEA) recordings from consistent, viable, ≥500 μm thick tissue preparations over time periods from days to weeks may aid in studying a wide range of problems in neurobiology that require in vivo-like organotypic morphology. Existing tools for electrically interfacing with organotypic slices do not address necrosis that inevitably occurs within thick slices with limited diffusion of nutrients and gas, and limited removal of waste. We developed an integrated device that enables long-term maintenance of thick, functionally active, brain tissue models using interstitial perfusion and distributed recordings from thick sections of explanted tissue on a perforated multi-electrode array. This novel device allows for automated culturing, in situ imaging, and extracellular multi-electrode interfacing with brain slices, 3-D cell cultures, and potentially other tissue culture models. The device is economical, easy to assemble, and integrable with standard electrophysiology tools. We found that convective perfusion through the culture thickness provided a functional benefit to the preparations as firing rates were generally higher in perfused cultures compared to their respective unperfused controls. This work is a step toward the development of integrated tools for days-long experiments with more consistent, healthier, thicker, and functionally more active tissue cultures with built-in distributed electrophysiological recording and stimulation functionality. The results may be useful for the study of normal processes, pathological conditions, and drug screening strategies currently hindered by the limitations of acute (a few hours long) brain slice preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J Killian
- Laboratory for NeuroEngineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Varadraj N Vernekar
- Lena Biosciences Inc., Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steve M Potter
- Laboratory for NeuroEngineering, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jelena Vukasinovic
- Lena Biosciences Inc., Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) Atlanta, GA, USA
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