1
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Zhang K, Deng Y, Liu Y, Luo J, Glidle A, Cooper JM, Xu S, Yang Y, Lv S, Xu Z, Wu Y, Sha L, Xu Q, Yin H, Cai X. Investigating Communication Dynamics in Neuronal Network using 3D Gold Microelectrode Arrays. ACS NANO 2024; 18:17162-17174. [PMID: 38902594 PMCID: PMC11349149 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Although in vitro neuronal network models hold great potential for advancing neuroscience research, with the capacity to provide fundamental insights into mechanisms underlying neuronal functions, the dynamics of cell communication within such networks remain poorly understood. Here, we develop a customizable, polymer modified three-dimensional gold microelectrode array with sufficient stability for high signal-to-noise, long-term, neuronal recording of cultured networks. By using directed spatial and temporal patterns of electrical stimulation of cells to explore synaptic-based communication, we monitored cell network dynamics over 3 weeks, quantifying communication capability using correlation heatmaps and mutual information networks. Analysis of synaptic delay and signal speed between cells enabled us to establish a communication connectivity model. We anticipate that our discoveries of the dynamic changes in communication across the neuronal network will provide a valuable tool for future studies in understanding health and disease as well as in developing effective platforms for evaluating therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Yu Deng
- State
Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical
Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, 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
| | - 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
| | - Andrew Glidle
- James
Watt School of Engineering, University of
Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan M. Cooper
- James
Watt School of Engineering, University of
Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Shiya Lv
- 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
| | - Longzhe Sha
- State
Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical
Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Qi Xu
- State
Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical
Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Huabing Yin
- James
Watt School of Engineering, University of
Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom
| | - 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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2
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Lam D, Enright HA, Cadena J, George VK, Soscia DA, Tooker AC, Triplett M, Peters SKG, Karande P, Ladd A, Bogguri C, Wheeler EK, Fischer NO. Spatiotemporal analysis of 3D human iPSC-derived neural networks using a 3D multi-electrode array. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1287089. [PMID: 38026689 PMCID: PMC10679684 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1287089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While there is a growing appreciation of three-dimensional (3D) neural tissues (i.e., hydrogel-based, organoids, and spheroids), shown to improve cellular health and network activity to mirror brain-like activity in vivo, functional assessment using current electrophysiology techniques (e.g., planar multi-electrode arrays or patch clamp) has been technically challenging and limited to surface measurements at the bottom or top of the 3D tissue. As next-generation MEAs, specifically 3D MEAs, are being developed to increase the spatial precision across all three dimensions (X, Y, Z), development of improved computational analytical tools to discern region-specific changes within the Z dimension of the 3D tissue is needed. In the present study, we introduce a novel computational analytical pipeline to analyze 3D neural network activity recorded from a "bottom-up" 3D MEA integrated with a 3D hydrogel-based tissue containing human iPSC-derived neurons and primary astrocytes. Over a period of ~6.5 weeks, we describe the development and maturation of 3D neural activity (i.e., features of spiking and bursting activity) within cross sections of the 3D tissue, based on the vertical position of the electrode on the 3D MEA probe, in addition to network activity (identified using synchrony analysis) within and between cross sections. Then, using the sequential addition of postsynaptic receptor antagonists, bicuculline (BIC), 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (AP-5), and 6-cyano-5-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), we demonstrate that networks within and between cross sections of the 3D hydrogel-based tissue show a preference for GABA and/or glutamate synaptic transmission, suggesting differences in the network composition throughout the neural tissue. The ability to monitor the functional dynamics of the entire 3D reconstructed neural tissue is a critical bottleneck; here we demonstrate a computational pipeline that can be implemented in studies to better interpret network activity within an engineered 3D neural tissue and have a better understanding of the modeled organ tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Heather A. Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jose Cadena
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Vivek Kurien George
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - David A. Soscia
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Angela C. Tooker
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Michael Triplett
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Sandra K. G. Peters
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Piyush Karande
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Ladd
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Chandrakumar Bogguri
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth K. Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas O. Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
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3
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Lam D, Sebastian A, Bogguri C, Hum NR, Ladd A, Cadena J, Valdez CA, Fischer NO, Loots GG, Enright HA. Dose-dependent consequences of sub-chronic fentanyl exposure on neuron and glial co-cultures. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:983415. [PMID: 36032789 PMCID: PMC9403314 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.983415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fentanyl is one of the most common opioid analgesics administered to patients undergoing surgery or for chronic pain management. While the side effects of chronic fentanyl abuse are recognized (e.g., addiction, tolerance, impairment of cognitive functions, and inhibit nociception, arousal, and respiration), it remains poorly understood what and how changes in brain activity from chronic fentanyl use influences the respective behavioral outcome. Here, we examined the functional and molecular changes to cortical neural network activity following sub-chronic exposure to two fentanyl concentrations, a low (0.01 μM) and high (10 μM) dose. Primary rat co-cultures, containing cortical neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, were seeded in wells on either a 6-well multi-electrode array (MEA, for electrophysiology) or a 96-well tissue culture plate (for serial endpoint bulk RNA sequencing analysis). Once networks matured (at 28 days in vitro), co-cultures were treated with 0.01 or 10 μM of fentanyl for 4 days and monitored daily. Only high dose exposure to fentanyl resulted in a decline in features of spiking and bursting activity as early as 30 min post-exposure and sustained for 4 days in cultures. Transcriptomic analysis of the complex cultures after 4 days of fentanyl exposure revealed that both the low and high dose induced gene expression changes involved in synaptic transmission, inflammation, and organization of the extracellular matrix. Collectively, the findings of this in vitro study suggest that while neuroadaptive changes to neural network activity at a systems level was detected only at the high dose of fentanyl, transcriptomic changes were also detected at the low dose conditions, suggesting that fentanyl rapidly elicits changes in plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Aimy Sebastian
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Chandrakumar Bogguri
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas R. Hum
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Ladd
- Computational Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jose Cadena
- Computational Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Carlos A. Valdez
- Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas O. Fischer
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Gabriela G. Loots
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Heather A. Enright
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Heather A. Enright,
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4
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Fusco F, Perottoni S, Giordano C, Riva A, Iannone LF, De Caro C, Russo E, Albani D, Striano P. The microbiota‐gut‐brain axis and epilepsy from a multidisciplinary perspective: clinical evidence and technological solutions for improvement of
in vitro
preclinical models. Bioeng Transl Med 2022; 7:e10296. [PMID: 35600638 PMCID: PMC9115712 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Fusco
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Simone Perottoni
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Carmen Giordano
- Dipartimento di Chimica, materiali e ingegneria chimica "Giulio Natta" Politecnico di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Antonella Riva
- Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini Genova Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health Università degli Studi di Genova Genova Italy
| | | | - Carmen De Caro
- Science of Health Department Magna Graecia University Catanzaro Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department Magna Graecia University Catanzaro Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS Milan Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini Genova Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health Università degli Studi di Genova Genova Italy
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5
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Holloway PM. Novel, Emerging Chip Models of the Blood-Brain Barrier and Future Directions. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2492:193-224. [PMID: 35733046 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2289-6_11] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The use of microfluidic chips is now allowing for more advanced modelling of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vitro, recapitulating heterotypic interactions, 3D architecture, and physiological flow. This chapter will give an introduction to these new technologies and how they are being applied to model the BBB and neurovascular unit (NVU). A foundational understanding of the fluid dynamics germane to the effective use of these chips will be set and an overview of how physical phenomena at the microscale can be exploited to enable new possibilities to control the cell culture environment. The four main approaches to construct microfluidic blood vessel mimetics will be discussed with examples of how these techniques are being applied to model the BBB and more recently to study specific neurovascular disease processes. Finally, practical guidance will be given for researchers wishing to adopt these new techniques along with a summary of the challenges, limitations faced, and new opportunities opened up by these advanced cell culture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Holloway
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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6
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Miller DR, McClain ES, Dodds JN, Balinski A, May JC, McLean JA, Cliffel DE. Chlorpyrifos Disrupts Acetylcholine Metabolism Across Model Blood-Brain Barrier. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:622175. [PMID: 34513802 PMCID: PMC8431803 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.622175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant progress in both scientific understanding and regulations, the safety of agricultural pesticides continues to be called into question. The need for complementary analytics to identify dysregulation events associated with chemical exposure and leverage this information to predict biological responses remains. Here, we present a platform that combines a model organ-on-chip neurovascular unit (NVU) with targeted mass spectrometry (MS) and electrochemical analysis to assess the impact of organophosphate (OP) exposure on blood-brain barrier (BBB) function. Using the NVU to simulate exposure, an escalating dose of the organophosphate chlorpyrifos (CPF) was administered. With up to 10 μM, neither CPF nor its metabolites were detected across the BBB (limit of quantitation 0.1 µM). At 30 µM CPF and above, targeted MS detected the main urinary metabolite, trichloropyridinol (TCP), across the BBB (0.025 µM) and no other metabolites. In the vascular chamber where CPF was directly applied, two primary metabolites of CPF, TCP and diethylthiophosphate (DETP), were both detected (0.1–5.7 µM). In a second experiment, a constant dose of 10 µM CPF was administered to the NVU, and though neither CPF nor its metabolites were detected across the BBB after 24 h, electrochemical analysis detected increases in acetylcholine levels on both sides of the BBB (up to 24.8 ± 3.4 µM) and these levels remained high over the course of treatment. In the vascular chamber where CPF was directly applied, only TCP was detected (ranging from 0.06 μM at 2 h to 0.19 μM at 24 h). These results provide chemical evidence of the substantial disruption induced by this widely used commercial pesticide. This work reinforces previously observed OP metabolism and mechanisms of impact, validates the use of the NVU for OP toxicology testing, and provides a model platform for analyzing these organotypic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusty R Miller
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Ethan S McClain
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - James N Dodds
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Center for Innovative Technology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Andrzej Balinski
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Center for Innovative Technology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jody C May
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Center for Innovative Technology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - John A McLean
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Center for Innovative Technology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - David E Cliffel
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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7
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Maoz BM. Brain-on-a-Chip: Characterizing the next generation of advanced in vitro platforms for modeling the central nervous system. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:030902. [PMID: 34368601 PMCID: PMC8325567 DOI: 10.1063/5.0055812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the human brain creates significant, almost insurmountable challenges for neurological drug development. Advanced in vitro platforms are increasingly enabling researchers to overcome these challenges, by mimicking key features of the brain's composition and functionality. Many of these platforms are called "Brains-on-a-Chip"-a term that was originally used to refer to microfluidics-based systems containing miniature engineered tissues, but that has since expanded to describe a vast range of in vitro central nervous system (CNS) modeling approaches. This Perspective seeks to refine the definition of a Brain-on-a-Chip for the next generation of in vitro platforms, identifying criteria that determine which systems should qualify. These criteria reflect the extent to which a given platform overcomes the challenges unique to in vitro CNS modeling (e.g., recapitulation of the brain's microenvironment; inclusion of critical subunits, such as the blood-brain barrier) and thereby provides meaningful added value over conventional cell culture systems. The paper further outlines practical considerations for the development and implementation of Brain-on-a-Chip platforms and concludes with a vision for where these technologies may be heading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben M. Maoz
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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8
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Firatligil-Yildirir B, Bati-Ayaz G, Tahmaz I, Bilgen M, Pesen-Okvur D, Yalcin-Ozuysal O. On-chip determination of tissue-specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:3799-3810. [PMID: 34110014 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is one of the major obstacles for breast cancer patients. Limitations of current models demand the development of custom platforms to predict metastatic potential and homing choices of cancer cells. Here, two organ-on-chip platforms, invasion/chemotaxis (IC-chip) and extravasation (EX-chip) were used for the quantitative assessment of invasion and extravasation towards specific tissues. Lung, liver and breast microenvironments were simulated in the chips using tissue-specific cells embedded in matrigel. In the IC-chip, invasive MDA-MB-231, but not noninvasive MCF-7 breast cancer cells invaded into lung and liver microenvironments. In the EX-chip, MDA-MB-231 cells extravasated more into the lung compared to the liver and breast microenvironments. In addition, lung-specific MDA-MB-231 clone invaded and extravasated into the lung microenvironment more efficiently than the bone-specific clone. Both invasion/chemotaxis and extravasation results were in agreement with published clinical data. Collectively, our results show that IC-chip and EX-chip, simulating tissue-specific microenvironments, can distinguish different in vivo metastatic phenotypes, in vitro. Determination of tissue-specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells is expected to improve diagnosis and help select the ideal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gizem Bati-Ayaz
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ismail Tahmaz
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Muge Bilgen
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Devrim Pesen-Okvur
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozden Yalcin-Ozuysal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
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9
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Holloway PM, Willaime-Morawek S, Siow R, Barber M, Owens RM, Sharma AD, Rowan W, Hill E, Zagnoni M. Advances in microfluidic in vitro systems for neurological disease modeling. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1276-1307. [PMID: 33583054 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second largest cause of death worldwide. Despite significant research efforts, neurology remains one of the most failure-prone areas of drug development. The complexity of the human brain, boundaries to examining the brain directly in vivo, and the significant evolutionary gap between animal models and humans, all serve to hamper translational success. Recent advances in microfluidic in vitro models have provided new opportunities to study human cells with enhanced physiological relevance. The ability to precisely micro-engineer cell-scale architecture, tailoring form and function, has allowed for detailed dissection of cell biology using microphysiological systems (MPS) of varying complexities from single cell systems to "Organ-on-chip" models. Simplified neuronal networks have allowed for unique insights into neuronal transport and neurogenesis, while more complex 3D heterotypic cellular models such as neurovascular unit mimetics and "Organ-on-chip" systems have enabled new understanding of metabolic coupling and blood-brain barrier transport. These systems are now being developed beyond MPS toward disease specific micro-pathophysiological systems, moving from "Organ-on-chip" to "Disease-on-chip." This review gives an outline of current state of the art in microfluidic technologies for neurological disease research, discussing the challenges and limitations while highlighting the benefits and potential of integrating technologies. We provide examples of where such toolsets have enabled novel insights and how these technologies may empower future investigation into neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Holloway
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Richard Siow
- King's British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, School of Cardiovascular Medicine & Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Melissa Barber
- King's British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, School of Cardiovascular Medicine & Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Róisín M Owens
- Department Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anup D Sharma
- New Orleans BioInnovation Center, AxoSim Inc., New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Wendy Rowan
- Novel Human Genetics Research Unit, GSK R&D, Stevenage, UK
| | - Eric Hill
- School of Life and Health sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Michele Zagnoni
- Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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10
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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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11
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Brofiga M, Pisano M, Tedesco M, Raiteri R, Massobrio P. Three-dimensionality shapes the dynamics of cortical interconnected to hippocampal networks. J Neural Eng 2020; 17:056044. [DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abc023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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12
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Enright HA, Lam D, Sebastian A, Sales AP, Cadena J, Hum NR, Osburn JJ, Peters SKG, Petkus B, Soscia DA, Kulp KS, Loots GG, Wheeler EK, Fischer NO. Functional and transcriptional characterization of complex neuronal co-cultures. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11007. [PMID: 32620908 PMCID: PMC7335084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67691-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-on-a-chip systems are designed to simulate brain activity using traditional in vitro cell culture on an engineered platform. It is a noninvasive tool to screen new drugs, evaluate toxicants, and elucidate disease mechanisms. However, successful recapitulation of brain function on these systems is dependent on the complexity of the cell culture. In this study, we increased cellular complexity of traditional (simple) neuronal cultures by co-culturing with astrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (complex culture). We evaluated and compared neuronal activity (e.g., network formation and maturation), cellular composition in long-term culture, and the transcriptome of the two cultures. Compared to simple cultures, neurons from complex co-cultures exhibited earlier synapse and network development and maturation, which was supported by localized synaptophysin expression, up-regulation of genes involved in mature neuronal processes, and synchronized neural network activity. Also, mature oligodendrocytes and reactive astrocytes were only detected in complex cultures upon transcriptomic analysis of age-matched cultures. Functionally, the GABA antagonist bicuculline had a greater influence on bursting activity in complex versus simple cultures. Collectively, the cellular complexity of brain-on-a-chip systems intrinsically develops cell type-specific phenotypes relevant to the brain while accelerating the maturation of neuronal networks, important features underdeveloped in traditional cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.
| | - Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Aimy Sebastian
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Ana Paula Sales
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Jose Cadena
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas R Hum
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.,University of California, Merced, School of Natural Sciences, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Joanne J Osburn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Sandra K G Peters
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Bryan Petkus
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - David A Soscia
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Kristen S Kulp
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela G Loots
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.,University of California, Merced, School of Natural Sciences, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth K Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.
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13
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Gyertyán I. How can preclinical cognitive research further neuropsychiatric drug discovery? Chances and challenges. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:659-670. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1739645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- István Gyertyán
- Cognitive Translational Behavioural Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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14
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Soscia DA, Lam D, Tooker AC, Enright HA, Triplett M, Karande P, Peters SKG, Sales AP, Wheeler EK, Fischer NO. A flexible 3-dimensional microelectrode array for in vitro brain models. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:901-911. [PMID: 31976505 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc01148j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models have become increasingly popular as systems to study cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions dependent on the spatial, mechanical, and chemical cues within the environment of the tissue, which is limited in traditional two-dimensional (2D) models. Although electrophysiological recordings of neuronal action potentials through 2D microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are a common and trusted method of evaluating neuronal function, network communication, and response to chemicals and biologicals, there are currently limited options for measuring electrophysiological activity from many locations simultaneously throughout a 3D network of neurons in vitro. Here, we have developed a thin-film, 3D flexible microelectrode array (3DMEA) that non-invasively interrogates a 3D culture of neurons and can accommodate 256 channels of recording or stimulation. Importantly, the 3DMEA is straightforward to fabricate and integrates with standard commercially available electrophysiology hardware. Polyimide probe arrays were microfabricated on glass substrates and mechanically actuated to collectively lift the arrays into a vertical position, relying solely on plastic deformation of their base hinge regions to maintain vertical alignment. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons and astrocytes were entrapped in a collagen-based hydrogel and seeded onto the 3DMEA, enabling growth of suspended cells in the matrix and the formation and maturation of a neural network around the 3DMEA probes. The 3DMEA supported the growth of functional neurons in 3D with action potential spike and burst activity recorded over 45 days in vitro. This platform is an important step in facilitating noninvasive electrophysiological characterization of 3D networks of electroactive cells in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Soscia
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
| | - Angela C Tooker
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
| | - Michael Triplett
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Piyush Karande
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Sandra K G Peters
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
| | - Ana Paula Sales
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Elizabeth K Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
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15
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Raimondi I, Izzo L, Tunesi M, Comar M, Albani D, Giordano C. Organ-On-A-Chip in vitro Models of the Brain and the Blood-Brain Barrier and Their Value to Study the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Neurodegeneration. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 7:435. [PMID: 31998702 PMCID: PMC6965718 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We are accumulating evidence that intestinal microflora, collectively named gut microbiota, can alter brain pathophysiology, but researchers have just begun to discover the mechanisms of this bidirectional connection (often referred to as microbiota-gut-brain axis, MGBA). The most noticeable hypothesis for a pathological action of gut microbiota on the brain is based on microbial release of soluble neurotransmitters, hormones, immune molecules and neuroactive metabolites, but this complex scenario requires reliable and controllable tools for its causal demonstration. Thanks to three-dimensional (3D) cultures and microfluidics, engineered in vitro models could improve the scientific knowledge in this field, also from a therapeutic perspective. This review briefly retraces the main discoveries linking the activity of gut microbiota to prevalent brain neurodegenerative disorders, and then provides a deep insight into the state-of-the-art for in vitro modeling of the brain and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), two key players of the MGBA. Several brain and BBB microfluidic devices have already been developed to implement organ-on-a-chip solutions, but some limitations still exist. Future developments of organ-on-a-chip tools to model the MGBA will require an interdisciplinary approach and the synergy with cutting-edge technologies (for instance, bioprinting) to achieve multi-organ platforms and support basic research, also for the development of new therapies against neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Izzo
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Tunesi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Manola Comar
- SSD of Advanced Translational Microbiology, IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, Department of Medical Sciences (DMS), University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Diego Albani
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmen Giordano
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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16
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Bubnys A, Kandel H, Kao LM, Pfaff D, Tabansky I. Hindbrain V2a Neurons Pattern Rhythmic Activity of Motor Neurons in a Reticulospinal Coculture. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1077. [PMID: 31680817 PMCID: PMC6811747 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As the capacity to isolate distinct neuronal cell types has advanced over the past several decades, new two- and three-dimensional in vitro models of the interactions between different brain regions have expanded our understanding of human neurobiology and the origins of disease. These cultures develop distinctive patterns of activity, but the extent that these patterns are determined by the molecular identity of individual cell types versus the specific pattern of network connectivity is unclear. To address the question of how individual cell types interact in vitro, we developed a simplified culture using two excitatory neuronal subtypes known to participate in the in vivo reticulospinal circuit: HB9+ spinal motor neurons and Chx10+ hindbrain V2a neurons. Here, we report the emergence of cell type-specific patterns of activity in culture; on their own, Chx10+ neurons developed regular, synchronized bursts of activity that recruited neurons across the entire culture, whereas HB9+ neuron activity consisted of an irregular pattern. When these two subtypes were cocultured, HB9+ neurons developed synchronized network bursts that were precisely correlated with Chx10+ neuron activity, thereby recreating an aspect of Chx10+ neurons' role in driving motor activity. These bursts were dependent on AMPA receptors. Our results demonstrate that the molecular classification of the neurons comprising in vitro networks is a crucial determinant of their activity. It is therefore possible to improve both the reproducibility and the applicability of in vitro neurobiological and disease models by carefully controlling the constituent mixtures of neuronal subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Bubnys
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hagar Kandel
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lee Ming Kao
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Donald Pfaff
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Inna Tabansky
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
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17
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Zbinden A, Marzi J, Schlünder K, Probst C, Urbanczyk M, Black S, Brauchle EM, Layland SL, Kraushaar U, Duffy G, Schenke-Layland K, Loskill P. Non-invasive marker-independent high content analysis of a microphysiological human pancreas-on-a-chip model. Matrix Biol 2019; 85-86:205-220. [PMID: 31238092 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of diabetes, its heterogeneity, and the limited number of treatment options drive the need for physiologically relevant assay platforms with human genetic background that have the potential to improve mechanistic understanding and e\xpedite diabetes-related research and treatment. In this study, we developed an endocrine pancreas-on-a-chip model based on a tailored microfluidic platform, which enables self-guided trapping of single human pseudo-islets. Continuous, low-shear perfusion provides a physiologically relevant microenvironment especially important for modeling and monitoring of the endocrine function as well as sufficient supply with nutrients and oxygen. Human pseudo-islets, generated from the conditionally immortalized EndoC-βH3 cell line, were successfully injected by hydrostatic pressure-driven flow without altered viability. To track insulin secretion kinetics in response to glucose stimulation in a time-resolved manner, dynamic sampling of the supernatant as well as non-invasive real-time monitoring using Raman microspectroscopy was established on-chip. Dynamic sampling indicated a biphasic glucose-stimulated insulin response. Raman microspectroscopy allowed to trace glucose responsiveness in situ and to visualize different molecular structures such as lipids, mitochondria and nuclei. In-depth spectral analyses demonstrated a glucose stimulation-dependent, increased mitochondrial activity, and a switch in lipid composition of insulin secreting vesicles, supporting the high performance of our pancreas-on-a-chip model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Zbinden
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Marzi
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; The Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Katharina Schlünder
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christopher Probst
- Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Max Urbanczyk
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
| | - Scott Black
- The Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Eva M Brauchle
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; The Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Shannon L Layland
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
| | - Udo Kraushaar
- The Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Garry Duffy
- Discipline of Anatomy and the Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Centre for Research in Advanced Materials for Biomedical Engineering (AMBER), Trinity College Dublin, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Katja Schenke-Layland
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; The Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany; Dept. of Medicine/Cardiology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Peter Loskill
- Dept. of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB), Stuttgart, Germany.
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18
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Kamudzandu M, Köse-Dunn M, Evans MG, Fricker RA, Roach P. A micro-fabricated
in vitro
complex neuronal circuit platform. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2019. [PMCID: PMC8208576 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ab2307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Developments in micro-manufacture as well as biofabrication technologies are driving our ability to create complex tissue models such as ‘organ-on-a-chip’ devices. The complexity of neural tissue, however, requires precisely specific cellular connectivity across many neuronal populations, and thus there have been limited reports of complex ‘brain-on-a-chip’ technologies modelling specific cellular circuit function. Here we describe the development of a model of in vitro brain circuitry designed to accurately reproduce part of the complex circuitry involved in neurodegenerative diseases; using segregated co-culture of specific basal ganglia (BG) neuronal subtypes to model central nervous system circuitry. Lithographic methods and chemical modification were used to form structured micro-channels, which were populated by specifically cultured neuronal sub-types to represent parts of the inter-communicating neural circuit. Cell morphological assessment and immunostaining showed connectivity, which was supported by electrophysiology measurements. Electrical activity of cells was measured using patch-clamp, showing voltage dependant Na+ and K+ currents, and blocking of Na+ current by TTX, and calcium imaging showing TTX-sensitive slow Ca2+ oscillations resulting from action potentials. Monitoring cells across connected ports post-TTX addition demonstrated both upstream and downstream changes in activity, indicating network connectivity. The model developed herein provides a platform technology that could be used to better understand neurological function and dysfunction, contributing to a growing urgency for better treatments of neurodegenerative disease. We anticipate the use of this advancing technology for the assessment of pharmaceutical and cellular therapies as a means of pre-clinical assessment, and further for the advancement of neural engineering approaches for tissue engineering.
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19
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Lam D, Enright HA, Cadena J, Peters SKG, Sales AP, Osburn JJ, Soscia DA, Kulp KS, Wheeler EK, Fischer NO. Tissue-specific extracellular matrix accelerates the formation of neural networks and communities in a neuron-glia co-culture on a multi-electrode array. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4159. [PMID: 30858401 PMCID: PMC6411890 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40128-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain’s extracellular matrix (ECM) is a macromolecular network composed of glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and fibrous proteins. In vitro studies often use purified ECM proteins for cell culture coatings, however these may not represent the molecular complexity and heterogeneity of the brain’s ECM. To address this, we compared neural network activity (over 30 days in vitro) from primary neurons co-cultured with glia grown on ECM coatings from decellularized brain tissue (bECM) or MaxGel, a non-tissue-specific ECM. Cells were grown on a multi-electrode array (MEA) to enable noninvasive long-term interrogation of neuronal networks. In general, the presence of ECM accelerated the formation of networks without affecting the inherent network properties. However, specific features of network activity were dependent on the type of ECM: bECM enhanced network activity over a greater region of the MEA whereas MaxGel increased network burst rate associated with robust synaptophysin expression. These differences in network activity were not attributable to cellular composition, glial proliferation, or astrocyte phenotypes, which remained constant across experimental conditions. Collectively, the addition of ECM to neuronal cultures represents a reliable method to accelerate the development of mature neuronal networks, providing a means to enhance throughput for routine evaluation of neurotoxins and novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Jose Cadena
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Sandra K G Peters
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Ana Paula Sales
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Joanne J Osburn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - David A Soscia
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Kristen S Kulp
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth K Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.
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20
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Jawaid A, Khan R, Polymenidou M, Schulz PE. Disease-modifying effects of metabolic perturbations in ALS/FTLD. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:63. [PMID: 30509290 PMCID: PMC6278047 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0294-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are two fatal neurodegenerative disorders with considerable clinical, pathological and genetic overlap. Both disorders are characterized by the accumulation of pathological protein aggregates that contain a number of proteins, most notably TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43). Surprisingly, recent clinical studies suggest that dyslipidemia, high body mass index, and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with better clinical outcomes in ALS. Moreover, ALS and FTLD patients have a significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, supporting the idea that an unfavorable metabolic profile may be beneficial in ALS and FTLD. The two most widely studied ALS/FTLD models, super-oxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and TAR DNA binding protein of 43 kDA (TDP-43), reveal metabolic dysfunction and a positive effect of metabolic strategies on disease onset and/or progression. In addition, molecular studies reveal a role for ALS/FTLD-associated proteins in the regulation of cellular and whole-body metabolism. Here, we systematically evaluate these observations and discuss how changes in cellular glucose/lipid metabolism may result in abnormal protein aggregations in ALS and FTLD, which may have important implications for new treatment strategies for ALS/FTLD and possibly other neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Jawaid
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich (UZH)/ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Romesa Khan
- Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Paul E Schulz
- Department of Neurology, The McGovern Medical School of UT Health, Houston, TX, USA
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21
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Ribas J, Pawlikowska J, Rouwkema J. Microphysiological systems: analysis of the current status, challenges and commercial future. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 2. [PMID: 33898981 DOI: 10.21037/mps.2018.10.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The field of microphysiological systems (or organs-on-a-chip) experienced, in the past decade, a surge in publications and efforts towards commercialization. Such systems hold the promise to advance drug discovery, diagnostics, and many other areas. In this review we summarize and analyze the current status of the field, describe the commercial advances and discuss standing challenges and the commercial outlook of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Ribas
- Doctoral Program in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Jeroen Rouwkema
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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22
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Belle AM, Enright HA, Sales AP, Kulp K, Osburn J, Kuhn EA, Fischer NO, Wheeler EK. Evaluation of in vitro neuronal platforms as surrogates for in vivo whole brain systems. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10820. [PMID: 30018409 PMCID: PMC6050270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitatively benchmarking similarities and differences between the in vivo central nervous system and in vitro neuronal cultures can qualify discrepancies in functional responses and establish the utility of in vitro platforms. In this work, extracellular electrophysiology responses of cortical neurons in awake, freely-moving animals were compared to in vitro cultures of dissociated cortical neurons. After exposure to two well-characterized drugs, atropine and ketamine, a number of key points were observed: (1) significant differences in spontaneous firing activity for in vivo and in vitro systems, (2) similar response trends in single-unit spiking activity after exposure to atropine, and (3) greater sensitivity to the effects of ketamine in vitro. While in vitro cultures of dissociated cortical neurons may be appropriate for many types of pharmacological studies, we demonstrate that for some drugs, such as ketamine, this system may not fully capture the responses observed in vivo. Understanding the functionality associated with neuronal cultures will enhance the relevance of electrophysiology data sets and more accurately frame their conclusions. Comparing in vivo and in vitro rodent systems will provide the critical framework necessary for developing and interpreting in vitro systems using human cells that strive to more closely recapitulate human in vivo function and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Belle
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Ana Paula Sales
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Kristen Kulp
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Joanne Osburn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Edward A Kuhn
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA.
| | - Elizabeth K Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, USA.
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