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Morais AS, Mendes M, Cordeiro MA, Sousa JJ, Pais AC, Mihăilă SM, Vitorino C. Organ-on-a-Chip: Ubi sumus? Fundamentals and Design Aspects. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:615. [PMID: 38794277 PMCID: PMC11124787 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This review outlines the evolutionary journey from traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture to the revolutionary field of organ-on-a-chip technology. Organ-on-a-chip technology integrates microfluidic systems to mimic the complex physiological environments of human organs, surpassing the limitations of conventional 2D cultures. This evolution has opened new possibilities for understanding cell-cell interactions, cellular responses, drug screening, and disease modeling. However, the design and manufacture of microchips significantly influence their functionality, reliability, and applicability to different biomedical applications. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider design parameters, including the number of channels (single, double, or multi-channels), the channel shape, and the biological context. Simultaneously, the selection of appropriate materials compatible with the cells and fabrication methods optimize the chips' capabilities for specific applications, mitigating some disadvantages associated with these systems. Furthermore, the success of organ-on-a-chip platforms greatly depends on the careful selection and utilization of cell resources. Advances in stem cell technology and tissue engineering have contributed to the availability of diverse cell sources, facilitating the development of more accurate and reliable organ-on-a-chip models. In conclusion, a holistic perspective of in vitro cellular modeling is provided, highlighting the integration of microfluidic technology and meticulous chip design, which play a pivotal role in replicating organ-specific microenvironments. At the same time, the sensible use of cell resources ensures the fidelity and applicability of these innovative platforms in several biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia Morais
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.S.M.); (M.M.); (M.A.C.); (J.J.S.)
| | - Maria Mendes
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.S.M.); (M.M.); (M.A.C.); (J.J.S.)
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Marta Agostinho Cordeiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.S.M.); (M.M.); (M.A.C.); (J.J.S.)
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - João J. Sousa
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.S.M.); (M.M.); (M.A.C.); (J.J.S.)
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Alberto Canelas Pais
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Silvia M. Mihăilă
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Carla Vitorino
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.S.M.); (M.M.); (M.A.C.); (J.J.S.)
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal;
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Giannitelli SM, Peluzzi V, Raniolo S, Roscilli G, Trombetta M, Mozetic P, Rainer A. On-chip recapitulation of the tumor microenvironment: A decade of progress. Biomaterials 2024; 306:122482. [PMID: 38301325 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122482] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
One of the hurdles to the development of new anticancer therapies is the lack of in vitro models which faithfully reproduce the in vivo tumor microenvironment (TME). Understanding the dynamic relationships between the components of the TME in a controllable, scalable, and reliable setting would indeed support the discovery of biological targets impacting cancer diagnosis and therapy. Cancer research is increasingly shifting from traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture toward three-dimensional (3D) culture models, which have been demonstrated to increase the significance and predictive value of in vitro data. In this scenario, microphysiological systems (also known as organs-on-chip) have emerged as a relevant technological platform enabling more predictive investigation of cell-cell and cell-ECM interplay in cancer, attracting a significant research effort in the last years. This review illustrates one decade of progress in the field of tumor-microenvironment-on-chip (TMOC) approaches, exploiting either cell-laden microfluidic chambers or microfluidic confined tumor spheroids to model the TME. TMOCs have been designed to recapitulate several aspects of the TME, including tumor cells, the tumor-associated stroma, the immune system, and the vascular component. Significantly, the last aspect has emerged for its pivotal role in orchestrating cellular interactions and modulating drug pharmacokinetics on-chip. A further advancement has been represented by integration of TMOCs into multi-organ microphysiological systems, with the final aim to follow the metastatic cascade to target organs and to study the effects of chemotherapies at a systemic level. We highlight that the increased degree of complexity achieved by the most advanced TMOC models has enabled scientists to shed new light on the role of microenvironmental factors in tumor progression, metastatic cascade, and response to drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Giannitelli
- Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - V Peluzzi
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - S Raniolo
- Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - G Roscilli
- Takis s.r.l., Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - M Trombetta
- Department of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development and One Health, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128, Rome, Italy.
| | - P Mozetic
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
| | - A Rainer
- Department of Engineering, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo 21, 00128, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, via Álvaro del Portillo 200, 00128, Rome, Italy.
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Araújo-Gomes N, Zambito G, Johnbosco C, Calejo I, Leijten J, Löwik C, Karperien M, Mezzanotte L, Teixeira LM. Bioluminescence imaging on-chip platforms for non-invasive high-content bioimaging. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115510. [PMID: 37442028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115510] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Incorporating non-invasive biosensing features in organ-on-chip models is of paramount importance for a wider implementation of these advanced in vitro microfluidic platforms. Optical biosensors, based on Bioluminescence Imaging (BLI), enable continuous, non-invasive, and in-situ imaging of cells, tissues or miniaturized organs without the drawbacks of conventional fluorescence imaging. Here, we report the first-of-its-kind integration and optimization of BLI in microfluidic chips, for non-invasive imaging of multiple biological readouts. The cell line HEK293T-GFP was engineered to express NanoLuc® luciferase under the control of a constitutive promoter and were cultured on-chip in 3D, in standard ECM-like hydrogels, to assess optimal cell detection conditions. Using real-time in-vitro dual-color microscopy, Bioluminescence (BL) and fluorescence (FL) were detectable using distinct imaging setups. Detection of the bioluminescent signals were observed at single cell resolution on-chip 20 min post-addition of Furimazine substrate and under perfusion. All hydrogels enabled BLI with higher signal-to-noise ratios as compared to fluorescence. For instance, agarose gels showed a ∼5-fold greater BL signal over background after injection of the substrate as compared to the FL signal. The use of BLI with microfluidic chip technologies opens up the potential for simultaneous in situ detection with continuous monitoring of multicolor cell reporters. Moreover, this can be achieved in a non-invasive manner. BL has great promise as a highly desirable biosensor for studying organ-on-chip platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Araújo-Gomes
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Zambito
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Castro Johnbosco
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Isabel Calejo
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Leijten
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Clemens Löwik
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel Karperien
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Liliana Moreira Teixeira
- Department of Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
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Yuan L, Straub H, Shishaeva L, Ren Q. Microfluidics for Biofilm Studies. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2023; 16:139-159. [PMID: 37314876 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-091522-103827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms are multicellular communities held together by a self-produced extracellular matrix and exhibit a set of properties that distinguish them from free-living bacteria. Biofilms are exposed to a variety of mechanical and chemical cues resulting from fluid motion and mass transport. Microfluidics provides the precise control of hydrodynamic and physicochemical microenvironments to study biofilms in general. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made in microfluidics-based biofilm research, including understanding the mechanism of bacterial adhesion and biofilm development, assessment of antifouling and antimicrobial properties, development of advanced in vitro infection models, and advancement in methods to characterize biofilms. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future direction of microfluidics-assisted biofilm research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yuan
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, China;
| | - Hervé Straub
- Laboratory for Biointerfaces, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland;
| | - Liubov Shishaeva
- Laboratory for Biointerfaces, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland;
| | - Qun Ren
- Laboratory for Biointerfaces, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland;
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Yang W, Hou L, Luo C. When Super-Resolution Microscopy Meets Microfluidics: Enhanced Biological Imaging and Analysis with Unprecedented Resolution. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207341. [PMID: 36895074 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy is rapidly developed in recent years, allowing biologists to extract more quantitative information on subcellular processes in live cells that is usually not accessible with conventional techniques. However, super-resolution imaging is not fully exploited because of the lack of an appropriate and multifunctional experimental platform. As an important tool in life sciences, microfluidics is capable of cell manipulation and the regulation of the cellular environment because of its superior flexibility and biocompatibility. The combination of microfluidics and super-resolution microscopy revolutionizes the study of complex cellular properties and dynamics, providing valuable insights into cellular structure and biological functions at the single-molecule level. In this perspective, an overview of the main advantages of microfluidic technology that are essential to the performance of super-resolution microscopy are offered. The main benefits of performing super-resolution imaging with microfluidic devices are highlighted and perspectives on the diverse applications that are facilitated by combining these two powerful techniques are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yang
- Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Jinlian Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325001, China
| | - Lei Hou
- UMR5298-LP2N, Institut d'Optique and CNRS, Rue François Mitterrand, Talence, 33400, France
| | - Chunxiong Luo
- Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Jinlian Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325001, China
- The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, 5 Summer Palace Road, Beijing, 100871, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, 5 Summer Palace Road, Beijing, 100871, China
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6
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Liang F, Zhu J, Chai H, Feng Y, Zhao P, Liu S, Yang Y, Lin L, Cao L, Wang W. Non-Invasive and Minute-Frequency 3D Tomographic Imaging Enabling Long-Term Spatiotemporal Observation of Single Cell Fate. SMALL METHODS 2023:e2201492. [PMID: 36950762 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive and rapid imaging technique at subcellular resolution is significantly important for multiple biological applications such as cell fate study. Label-free refractive-index (RI)-based 3D tomographic imaging constitutes an excellent candidate for 3D imaging of cellular structures, but its full potential in long-term spatiotemporal cell fate observation is locked due to the lack of an efficient integrated system. Here, a long-term 3D RI imaging system incorporating a cutting-edge white light diffraction phase microscopy module with spatiotemporal stability, and an acoustofluidic device to roll and culture single cells in a customized live cell culture chamber is reported. Using this system, 3D RI imaging experiments are conducted for 250 cells and demonstrate efficient cell identification with high accuracy. Importantly, long-term and frequency-on-demand 3D RI imaging of K562 and MCF-7 cancer cells reveal different characteristics during normal cell growth, drug-induced cell apoptosis, and necrosis of drug-treated cells. Overall, it is believed that the proposed 3D tomographic imaging technique opens up a new avenue for visualizing intracellular structures and will find many applications such as disease diagnosis and nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Junwen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Huichao Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yongxiang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shaofeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuanmu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Linhan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Liangcai Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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7
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Bissardon C, Mermet X, Quintard C, Sanjuan F, Fouillet Y, Bottausci F, Carriere M, Rivera F, Blandin P. Selective plane illumination microscope dedicated to volumetric imaging in microfluidic chambers. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:5261-5274. [PMID: 36425641 PMCID: PMC9664896 DOI: 10.1364/boe.455377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we are presenting an original selective plane illumination fluorescence microscope dedicated to image "Organ-on-chip"-like biostructures in microfluidic chips. In order to be able to morphologically analyze volumetric samples in development at the cellular scale inside microfluidic chambers, the setup presents a compromise between relatively large field of view (∼ 200 µm) and moderate resolution (∼ 5 µm). The microscope is based on a simple design, built around the chip and its microfluidic environment to allow 3D imaging inside the chip. In particular, the sample remains horizontally avoiding to disturb the fluidics phenomena. The experimental setup, its optical characterization and the first volumetric images are reported.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xavier Mermet
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, DTBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Federico Sanjuan
- Univ. de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Total, LFCR, Pau, France
| | - Yves Fouillet
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, DTBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Marie Carriere
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IRIG, SyMMES, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Florence Rivera
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, DTBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pierre Blandin
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, DTBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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Fan YJ, Hsieh HY, Huang YR, Tsao C, Lee CM, Tahara H, Wu YC, Sheen HJ, Chen BC. Development of a water refractive index-matched microneedle integrated into a light sheet microscopy system for continuous embryonic cell imaging. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:584-591. [PMID: 34951426 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00827g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, microneedle-integrated light sheet microscopy (LSM) was developed for trapping and continuously imaging embryos of Caenorhabditis elegans with subcellular resolution. To reduce aberrations when the light sheet was propagated into the device, a microneedle was fabricated using a transparent, water refractive index-matched polymer. It was proven that when the light sheet emerged from the water-immersed objective and penetrated through the microneedle with a circular surface, even with a non-perpendicular incident angle, fewer aberrations were found. An embryo was injected into and trapped at the tip of the microneedle, which was positioned at the interrogation window of the LSM apparatus with the image plane perpendicular to the light sheet, and this setup was used to sequentially acquire embryo images. By applying the light sheet, higher-resolution, higher-contrast images were obtained. The system also showed low photobleaching and low phototoxicity to embryos of C. elegans. Furthermore, three-dimensional embryo images with a whole field of view of the microneedle could be achieved by stitching together images and reconstructing sequential two-dimensional embryo images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jui Fan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, International PhD Program for Biomedical Engineering, International PhD Program for Cell Therapy and Regeneration Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing St., Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
| | - Han-Yun Hsieh
- School of Biomedical Engineering, International PhD Program for Biomedical Engineering, International PhD Program for Cell Therapy and Regeneration Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing St., Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
| | - Yen-Ru Huang
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
| | - Chieh Tsao
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Chia-Ming Lee
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Hidetoshi Tahara
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
| | - Yi-Chun Wu
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Horn-Jiunn Sheen
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
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Larsen JB, Taebnia N, Dolatshahi-Pirouz A, Eriksen AZ, Hjørringgaard C, Kristensen K, Larsen NW, Larsen NB, Marie R, Mündler AK, Parhamifar L, Urquhart AJ, Weller A, Mortensen KI, Flyvbjerg H, Andresen TL. Imaging therapeutic peptide transport across intestinal barriers. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1115-1143. [PMID: 34458827 PMCID: PMC8341777 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00024a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral delivery is a highly preferred method for drug administration due to high patient compliance. However, oral administration is intrinsically challenging for pharmacologically interesting drug classes, in particular pharmaceutical peptides, due to the biological barriers associated with the gastrointestinal tract. In this review, we start by summarizing the pharmacological performance of several clinically relevant orally administrated therapeutic peptides, highlighting their low bioavailabilities. Thus, there is a strong need to increase the transport of peptide drugs across the intestinal barrier to realize future treatment needs and further development in the field. Currently, progress is hampered by a lack of understanding of transport mechanisms that govern intestinal absorption and transport of peptide drugs, including the effects of the permeability enhancers commonly used to mediate uptake. We describe how, for the past decades, mechanistic insights have predominantly been gained using functional assays with end-point read-out capabilities, which only allow indirect study of peptide transport mechanisms. We then focus on fluorescence imaging that, on the other hand, provides opportunities to directly visualize and thus follow peptide transport at high spatiotemporal resolution. Consequently, it may provide new and detailed mechanistic understanding of the interplay between the physicochemical properties of peptides and cellular processes; an interplay that determines the efficiency of transport. We review current methodology and state of the art in the field of fluorescence imaging to study intestinal barrier transport of peptides, and provide a comprehensive overview of the imaging-compatible in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo platforms that currently are being developed to accelerate this emerging field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannik Bruun Larsen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Nayere Taebnia
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Anne Zebitz Eriksen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Claudia Hjørringgaard
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Kasper Kristensen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Nanna Wichmann Larsen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Niels Bent Larsen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Rodolphe Marie
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Ann-Kathrin Mündler
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Ladan Parhamifar
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Andrew James Urquhart
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Arjen Weller
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Kim I Mortensen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Henrik Flyvbjerg
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Thomas Lars Andresen
- Center for Intestinal Absorption and Transport of Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
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Fan YJ, Hsieh HY, Tsai SF, Wu CH, Lee CM, Liu YT, Lu CH, Chang SW, Chen BC. Microfluidic channel integrated with a lattice lightsheet microscopic system for continuous cell imaging. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:344-354. [PMID: 33295931 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01009j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, a continuous cell-imaging system with subcellular resolution was developed by integrating a microfluidic platform with lattice lightsheet microscopy (LLSM). To reduce aberrations of the lightsheet propagating into the device, a microfluidic channel sealed with a water refractive index-matched thin film was fabricated. When the lightsheet emerged from the water-immersed objectives and penetrated through the water refractive-matched thin film into the microfluidic channel at an incident angle, less light scattering and fewer aberrations were found. Suspended cells flowed across the lattice lightsheet, and an imaging system with the image plane perpendicular to the lightsheet was used to sequentially acquire cell images. By applying a thinner lattice lightsheet, higher-resolution, higher-contrast images were obtained. Furthermore, three-dimensional cell images could be achieved by reconstructing sequential two-dimensional cell images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jui Fan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing St., Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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Son J, Mandracchia B, Jia S. Miniaturized modular-array fluorescence microscopy. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:7221-7235. [PMID: 33408992 PMCID: PMC7747904 DOI: 10.1364/boe.410605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescence live-cell imaging allows for continuous interrogation of cellular behaviors, and the recent development of portable live-cell imaging platforms has rapidly transformed conventional schemes with high adaptability, cost-effective functionalities and easy accessibility to cell-based assays. However, broader applications remain restrictive due to compatibility with conventional cell culture workflow and biochemical sensors, accessibility to up-right physiological imaging, or parallelization of data acquisition. Here, we introduce miniaturized modular-array fluorescence microscopy (MAM) for compact live-cell imaging in flexible formats. We advance the current miniscopy technology to devise an up-right modular architecture, each combining a gradient-index (GRIN) objective and individually-addressed illumination and acquisition components. Parallelization of an array of such modular devices allows for multi-site data acquisition in situ using conventional off-the-shelf cell chambers. Compared with existing methods, the device offers a high fluorescence sensitivity and efficiency, exquisite spatiotemporal resolution (∼3 µm and up to 60 Hz), a configuration compatible with conventional cell culture assays and physiological imaging, and an effective parallelization of data acquisition. The system has been demonstrated using various calibration and biological samples and experimental conditions, representing a promising solution to time-lapse in situ single-cell imaging and analysis.
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12
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Xu T, Lim YJ, Zheng Y, Jung M, Gaus K, Gardiner EE, Lee WM. Modified inverted selective plane illumination microscopy for sub-micrometer imaging resolution in polydimethylsiloxane soft lithography devices. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:3960-3969. [PMID: 32940306 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00598c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Moldable, transparent polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer microdevices enable a broad range of complex studies of three-dimensional cellular networks in their microenvironment in vitro. However, the uneven distribution of refractive index change, external to PDMS devices and internally in the sample chamber, creates a significant optical path difference (OPD) that distorts the light sheet beam and so restricts diffraction limited performance. We experimentally showed that an OPD of 120 μm results in the broadening of the lateral point spread function by over 4-fold. In this paper, we demonstrate steps to adapt a commercial inverted selective plane illumination microscope (iSPIM) and remove the OPD so as to achieve sub-micrometer imaging ranging from 0.6 ± 0.04 μm to 0.91 ± 0.03 μm of a fluorescence biological sample suspended in regular saline (RI ≈1.34) enclosed in 1.2 to 2 mm thick micromolded PDMS microdevices. We have proven that the removal of the OPD from the external PDMS layer by refractive index (RI) matching with a readily accessible, inexpensive sucrose solution is critical to achieve a >3-fold imaging resolution improvement. To monitor the RI matching process, a single-mode fiber (SMF) illuminator was integrated into the iSPIM. To remove the OPD inside the PDMS channel, we used an electrically tunable lens (ETL) that par-focuses the light sheet beam with the detection objective lens and so minimised axial distortions to attain sub-micrometer imaging resolution. We termed this new light sheet imaging protocol as modified inverted selective plane illumination microscopy (m-iSPIM). Using the high spatial-temporal 3D imaging of m-iSPIM, we experimentally captured single platelet (≈2 μm) recruitment to a platelet aggregate (22.5 μm × 22.5 μm × 6 μm) under flow at a 150 μm depth within a microfluidic channel. m-iSPIM paves the way for the application of light sheet imaging to a wide range of 3D biological models in microfluidic devices which recapitulate features of the physiological microenvironment and elucidate subcellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tienan Xu
- Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Yean Jin Lim
- Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. and ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Yujie Zheng
- Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - MoonSun Jung
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Katharina Gaus
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Elizabeth E Gardiner
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Woei Ming Lee
- Research School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. and ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Samanta D, Ebrahimi SB, Mirkin CA. Nucleic-Acid Structures as Intracellular Probes for Live Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1901743. [PMID: 31271253 PMCID: PMC6942251 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201901743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The chemical composition of cells at the molecular level determines their growth, differentiation, structure, and function. Probing this composition is powerful because it provides invaluable insight into chemical processes inside cells and in certain cases allows disease diagnosis based on molecular profiles. However, many techniques analyze fixed cells or lysates of bulk populations, in which information about dynamics and cellular heterogeneity is lost. Recently, nucleic-acid-based probes have emerged as a promising platform for the detection of a wide variety of intracellular analytes in live cells with single-cell resolution. Recent advances in this field are described and common strategies for probe design, types of targets that can be identified, current limitations, and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devleena Samanta
- Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Sasha B Ebrahimi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Chad A Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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Arandian A, Bagheri Z, Ehtesabi H, Najafi Nobar S, Aminoroaya N, Samimi A, Latifi H. Optical Imaging Approaches to Monitor Static and Dynamic Cell-on-Chip Platforms: A Tutorial Review. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1900737. [PMID: 31087503 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201900737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Miniaturized laboratories on chip platforms play an important role in handling life sciences studies. The platforms may contain static or dynamic biological cells. Examples are a fixed medium of an organ-on-a-chip and individual cells moving in a microfluidic channel, respectively. Due to feasibility of control or investigation and ethical implications of live targets, both static and dynamic cell-on-chip platforms promise various applications in biology. To extract necessary information from the experiments, the demand for direct monitoring is rapidly increasing. Among different microscopy methods, optical imaging is a straightforward choice. Considering light interaction with biological agents, imaging signals may be generated as a result of scattering or emission effects from a sample. Thus, optical imaging techniques could be categorized into scattering-based and emission-based techniques. In this review, various optical imaging approaches used in monitoring static and dynamic platforms are introduced along with their optical systems, advantages, challenges, and applications. This review may help biologists to find a suitable imaging technique for different cell-on-chip studies and might also be useful for the people who are going to develop optical imaging systems in life sciences studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Arandian
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Zeinab Bagheri
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Hamide Ehtesabi
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Shima Najafi Nobar
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, 1969764499, Iran
| | - Neda Aminoroaya
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Ashkan Samimi
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Hamid Latifi
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
- Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
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Wang L, Li Z, Xu C, Qin J. Bioinspired Engineering of Organ-on-Chip Devices. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1174:401-440. [PMID: 31713207 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-9791-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The human body can be viewed as an organism consisting of a variety of cellular and non-cellular materials interacting in a highly ordered manner. Its complex and hierarchical nature inspires the multi-level recapitulation of the human body in order to gain insights into the inner workings of life. While traditional cell culture models have led to new insights into the cellular microenvironment and biological control in vivo, deeper understanding of biological systems and human pathophysiology requires the development of novel model systems that allow for analysis of complex internal and external interactions within the cellular microenvironment in a more relevant organ context. Engineering organ-on-chip systems offers an unprecedented opportunity to unravel the complex and hierarchical nature of human organs. In this chapter, we first highlight the advances in microfluidic platforms that enable engineering of the cellular microenvironment and the transition from cells-on-chips to organs-on-chips. Then, we introduce the key features of the emerging organs-on-chips and their proof-of-concept applications in biomedical research. We also discuss the challenges and future outlooks of this state-of-the-art technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, P. R. China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, P. R. China
| | - Cong Xu
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, P. R. China
| | - Jianhua Qin
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, P. R. China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. .,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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16
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Hayat Z, El Abed AI. High-Throughput Optofluidic Acquisition of Microdroplets in Microfluidic Systems. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:E183. [PMID: 30424116 PMCID: PMC6187520 DOI: 10.3390/mi9040183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Droplet optofluidics technology aims at manipulating the tiny volume of fluids confined in micro-droplets with light, while exploiting their interaction to create "digital" micro-systems with highly significant scientific and technological interests. Manipulating droplets with light is particularly attractive since the latter provides wavelength and intensity tunability, as well as high temporal and spatial resolution. In this review study, we focus mainly on recent methods developed in order to monitor real-time analysis of droplet size and size distribution, active merging of microdroplets using light, or to use microdroplets as optical probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zain Hayat
- Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moléculaire, UMR 8537, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris Saclay, CentraleSupélec, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 61 avenue du Président Wilson, 94235 Cachan, France.
| | - Abdel I El Abed
- Laboratoire de Photonique Quantique et Moléculaire, UMR 8537, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris Saclay, CentraleSupélec, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 61 avenue du Président Wilson, 94235 Cachan, France.
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17
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Kim JK, Park S, Yoo RJ, Jeong HJ, Oh J, Lee YJ, Park S, Kim DW. Thin PEGylated Carbon Nitrides: Water-Dispersible Organic Nanodots as Bioimaging Probes. Chemistry 2018; 24:3506-3511. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201704761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Kwan Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
| | - Sunghee Park
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
- WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) Green Energy Battery Lab; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
| | - Ran Ji Yoo
- Department Molecular Imaging Research Center; Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences; 75 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu Seoul 139-706 Korea
| | - Hyeon Jin Jeong
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
| | - Junghoon Oh
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
- WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) Green Energy Battery Lab; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
| | - Yong Jin Lee
- Department Molecular Imaging Research Center; Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences; 75 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu Seoul 139-706 Korea
| | - Sungjin Park
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
- WCSL (World Class Smart Lab) Green Energy Battery Lab; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
| | - Dong Wook Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Inha University; 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu Incheon 22212 Korea
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Caballero D, Kaushik S, Correlo V, Oliveira J, Reis R, Kundu S. Organ-on-chip models of cancer metastasis for future personalized medicine: From chip to the patient. Biomaterials 2017; 149:98-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Sun YS. Studying Electrotaxis in Microfluidic Devices. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2017; 17:E2048. [PMID: 28880251 PMCID: PMC5621068 DOI: 10.3390/s17092048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Collective cell migration is important in various physiological processes such as morphogenesis, cancer metastasis and cell regeneration. Such migration can be induced and guided by different chemical and physical cues. Electrotaxis, referring to the directional migration of adherent cells under stimulus of electric fields, is believed to be highly involved in the wound-healing process. Electrotactic experiments are conventionally conducted in Petri dishes or cover glasses wherein cells are cultured and electric fields are applied. However, these devices suffer from evaporation of the culture medium, non-uniformity of electric fields and low throughput. To overcome these drawbacks, micro-fabricated devices composed of micro-channels and fluidic components have lately been applied to electrotactic studies. Microfluidic devices are capable of providing cells with a precise micro-environment including pH, nutrition, temperature and various stimuli. Therefore, with the advantages of reduced cell/reagent consumption, reduced Joule heating and uniform and precise electric fields, microfluidic chips are perfect platforms for observing cell migration under applied electric fields. In this paper, I review recent developments in designing and fabricating microfluidic devices for studying electrotaxis, aiming to provide critical updates in this rapidly-growing, interdisciplinary field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Shin Sun
- Department of Physics, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan.
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