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Niu D, Zhang Y, Chen J, Li D, He C, Liu H. Mechanobiology Platform Realized Using Photomechanical Mxene Nanocomposites: Bilayer Photoactuator Design and In Vitro Mechanical Forces Stimulation. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:6869. [PMID: 36234210 PMCID: PMC9570783 DOI: 10.3390/ma15196869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotransduction is the process by which cells convert external forces and physical constraints into biochemical signals that control several aspects of cellular behavior. A number of approaches have been proposed to investigate the mechanisms of mechanotransduction; however, it remains a great challenge to develop a platform for dynamic multivariate mechanical stimulation of single cells and small colonies of cells. In this study, we combined polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and PDMS/Mxene nanoplatelets (MNPs) to construct a soft bilayer nanocomposite for extracellular mechanical stimulation. Fast backlash actuation of the bilayer as a result of near-infrared irradiation caused mechanical force stimulation of cells in a controllable manner. The excellent controllability of the light intensity and frequency allowed backlash bending acceleration and frequency to be manipulated. As gastric gland carcinoma cell line MKN-45 was the research subject, mechanical force loading conditions could trigger apoptosis of the cells in a stimulation duration time-dependent manner. Cell apoptotic rates were positively related to the duration time. In the case of 6 min mechanical force loading, apoptotic cell percentage rose to 34.46% from 5.5% of the control. This approach helps apply extracellular mechanical forces, even with predesigned loading cycles, and provides a solution to study cell mechanotransduction in complex force conditions. It is also a promising therapeutic technique for combining physical therapy and biomechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Niu
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Yanli Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Genetic Mechanisms and Intervention Research on High Altitude Disease of Tibet Autonomous Region, Medical College, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang 712082, China
| | - Jinlan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Dachao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Chunmeng He
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Hongzhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
- The Joint Key Laboratory of Graphene, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
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2
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Ballerini M, Jouybar M, Mainardi A, Rasponi M, Ugolini GS. Organ-on-Chips for Studying Tissue Barriers: Standard Techniques and a Novel Method for Including Porous Membranes Within Microfluidic Devices. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2373:21-38. [PMID: 34520004 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1693-2_2] [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: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A relevant number of organ-on-chips is aimed at modeling epithelial/endothelial interfaces between tissue compartments. These barriers help tissue function either by protecting (e.g., endothelial blood-brain barrier) or by orchestrating relevant molecular exchanges (e.g., lung alveolar interface) in human organs. Models of these biological systems are aimed at characterizing the transport of molecules, drugs or drug carriers through these specific barriers. Multilayer microdevices are particularly appealing to this goal and techniques for embedding porous membranes within organ-on-chips are therefore at the basis of the development and use of such systems. Here, we discuss and provide procedures for embedding porous membranes within multilayer organ-on-chips. We present standard techniques involving both custom-made polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes and commercially available plastic membranes. In addition, we present a novel method for fabricating and bonding PDMS porous membranes by using a cost-effective epoxy resin in place of microfabricated silicon wafers as master molds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Ballerini
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mohammad Jouybar
- Microsystems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Mainardi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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3
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Electromechanical Stimulation of 3D Cardiac Microtissues in a Heart-on-Chip Model. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2373:133-157. [PMID: 34520011 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1693-2_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Modeling human cardiac tissues in vitro is essential to elucidate the biological mechanisms related to the heart physiopathology, possibly paving the way for new treatments. Organs-on-chips have emerged as innovative tools able to recreate tissue-specific microenvironments, guiding the development of miniaturized models and offering the opportunity to directly analyze functional readouts. Here we describe the fabrication and operational procedures for the development of a heart-on-chip model, reproducing cardiac biomimetic microenvironment. The device provides 3D cardiac microtissue with a synchronized electromechanical stimulation to support the tissue development. We additionally describe procedures for characterizing tissue evolution and functionality through immunofluorescence, real time qPCR, calcium imaging and microtissue contractility investigations.
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4
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Ferrari E, Nebuloni F, Rasponi M, Occhetta P. Photo and Soft Lithography for Organ-on-Chip Applications. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2373:1-19. [PMID: 34520003 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1693-2_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Organs-on-Chip devices are generally fabricated by means of photo- and soft lithographic techniques. Photolithography is a process that involves the transfer of a pattern onto a substrate by a selective exposure to light. In particular, in this chapter two different photolithography methods will be described: liquid and dry photolithography. In liquid photolithography, a silicon wafer is spin-coated with liquid photoresist and exposed to UV light in order to be patterned. In dry photolithography, the silicon wafer is laminated with resist dry film before being patterned through UV light. In both cases, the UV light can be collimated on top of the wafer either through photomasks or by direct laser exposure. The obtained patterned wafer is then used as a mold for the soft lithographic process (i.e., replica molding) to produce polymer-based microdevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Ferrari
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Nebuloni
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Department of Engineering Science, Osney Thermo-Fluids Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Occhetta
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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5
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Ferrari E, Rasponi M. Liver-Heart on chip models for drug safety. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:031505. [PMID: 34286172 PMCID: PMC8282347 DOI: 10.1063/5.0048986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Current pre-clinical models to evaluate drug safety during the drug development process (DDP) mainly rely on traditional two-dimensional cell cultures, considered too simplistic and often ineffective, or animal experimentations, which are costly, time-consuming, and not truly representative of human responses. Their clinical translation thus remains limited, eventually causing attrition and leading to high rates of failure during clinical trials. These drawbacks can be overcome by the recently developed Organs-on-Chip (OoC) technology. OoC are sophisticated in vitro systems capable of recapitulating pivotal architecture and functionalities of human organs. OoC are receiving increasing attention from the stakeholders of the DDP, particularly concerning drug screening and safety applications. When a drug is administered in the human body, it is metabolized by the liver and the resulting compound may cause unpredicted toxicity on off-target organs such as the heart. In this sense, several liver and heart models have been widely adopted to assess the toxicity of new or recalled drugs. Recent advances in OoC technology are making available platforms encompassing multiple organs fluidically connected to efficiently assess and predict the systemic effects of compounds. Such Multi-Organs-on-Chip (MOoC) platforms represent a disruptive solution to study drug-related effects, which results particularly useful to predict liver metabolism on off-target organs to ultimately improve drug safety testing in the pre-clinical phases of the DDP. In this review, we focus on recently developed liver and heart on chip systems for drug toxicity testing. In addition, MOoC platforms encompassing connected liver and heart tissues have been further reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Ferrari
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
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Polidoro MA, Ferrari E, Marzorati S, Lleo A, Rasponi M. Experimental liver models: From cell culture techniques to microfluidic organs-on-chip. Liver Int 2021; 41:1744-1761. [PMID: 33966344 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The liver is one of the most studied organs of the human body owing to its central role in xenobiotic and drug metabolism. In recent decades, extensive research has aimed at developing in vitro liver models able to mimic liver functions to study pathophysiological clues in high-throughput and reproducible environments. Two-dimensional (2D) models have been widely used in screening potential toxic compounds but have failed to accurately reproduce the three-dimensionality (3D) of the liver milieu. To overcome these limitations, improved 3D culture techniques have been developed to recapitulate the hepatic native microenvironment. These models focus on reproducing the liver architecture, representing both parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells, as well as cell interactions. More recently, Liver-on-Chip (LoC) models have been developed with the aim of providing physiological fluid flow and thus achieving essential hepatic functions. Given their unprecedented ability to recapitulate critical features of the liver cellular environments, LoC have been extensively adopted in pathophysiological modelling and currently represent a promising tool for tissue engineering and drug screening applications. In this review, we discuss the evolution of experimental liver models, from the ancient 2D hepatocyte models, widely used for liver toxicity screening, to 3D and LoC culture strategies adopted for mirroring a more physiological microenvironment for the study of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Anna Polidoro
- Hepatobiliary Immunopathology Laboratory, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Ferrari
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Marzorati
- Hepatobiliary Immunopathology Laboratory, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ana Lleo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.,Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
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7
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Staicu CE, Jipa F, Axente E, Radu M, Radu BM, Sima F. Lab-on-a-Chip Platforms as Tools for Drug Screening in Neuropathologies Associated with Blood-Brain Barrier Alterations. Biomolecules 2021; 11:916. [PMID: 34205550 PMCID: PMC8235582 DOI: 10.3390/biom11060916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) and organ-on-a-chip (OOC) devices are highly versatile platforms that enable miniaturization and advanced controlled laboratory functions (i.e., microfluidics, advanced optical or electrical recordings, high-throughput screening). The manufacturing advancements of LOCs/OOCs for biomedical applications and their current limitations are briefly discussed. Multiple studies have exploited the advantages of mimicking organs or tissues on a chip. Among these, we focused our attention on the brain-on-a-chip, blood-brain barrier (BBB)-on-a-chip, and neurovascular unit (NVU)-on-a-chip applications. Mainly, we review the latest developments of brain-on-a-chip, BBB-on-a-chip, and NVU-on-a-chip devices and their use as testing platforms for high-throughput pharmacological screening. In particular, we analyze the most important contributions of these studies in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and their relevance in translational personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Elena Staicu
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania;
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Măgurele, Romania; (F.J.); (E.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Florin Jipa
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Măgurele, Romania; (F.J.); (E.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Emanuel Axente
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Măgurele, Romania; (F.J.); (E.A.); (F.S.)
| | - Mihai Radu
- Department of Life and Environmental Physics, ‘Horia Hulubei’ National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 077125 Măgurele, Romania;
| | - Beatrice Mihaela Radu
- Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Felix Sima
- Center for Advanced Laser Technologies, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Măgurele, Romania; (F.J.); (E.A.); (F.S.)
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Ferrari E, Ugolini GS, Piutti C, Marzorati S, Rasponi M. Plasma-enhanced protein patterning in a microfluidic compartmentalized platform for multi-organs-on-chip: a liver-tumor model. Biomed Mater 2021; 16. [PMID: 34030149 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/ac0454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
A microfluidic technique is presented for micropatterning protein domains and cell cultures within permanently bonded organs-on-chip devices. This method is based on the use of polydimethylsiloxane layers coupled with the plasma ablation technique for selective protein removal. We show how this technique can be employed to generate a multi-organin vitromodel directly within a microscale platform suitable for pharmacokinetic-based drug screening. We miniaturized a liver model based on micropatterned co-cultures in dual-compartment microfluidic devices. The cytotoxic effect of liver-metabolized Tegafur on colon cancer cell line was assessed using two microfluidic devices where microgrooves and valves systems are used to model drug diffusion between culture compartments. The platforms can reproduce the metabolism of Tegafur in the liver, thus killing colon cancer cells. The proposed plasma-enhanced microfluidic protein patterning method thus successfully combines the ability to generate precise cell micropatterning with the intrinsic advantages of microfluidics in cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Ferrari
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Via Golgi 39, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Giovanni Stefano Ugolini
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Via Golgi 39, Milano 20133, Italy
| | - Claudia Piutti
- Accelera Srl, Viale Pasteur 10, 20014 Nerviano, MI, Italy
| | | | - Marco Rasponi
- Politecnico di Milano, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Via Golgi 39, Milano 20133, Italy
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9
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Peneda Pacheco D, Suárez Vargas N, Visentin S, Petrini P. From tissue engineering to engineering tissues: the role and application of in vitro models. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:70-83. [DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01097a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This review defines and explores the engineering process and the multifaceted potential and limitations of models within the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Peneda Pacheco
- Department of Chemistry
- Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta” – Politecnico di Milano
- Italy
| | - Natalia Suárez Vargas
- Department of Chemistry
- Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta” – Politecnico di Milano
- Italy
| | - Sonja Visentin
- Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department
- University of Torino
- Torino
- Italy
| | - Paola Petrini
- Department of Chemistry
- Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta” – Politecnico di Milano
- Italy
- Inter-University Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching & Research (Centro 3R)
- Politecnico di Milano Unit
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10
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Ferrari E, Palma C, Vesentini S, Occhetta P, Rasponi M. Integrating Biosensors in Organs-on-Chip Devices: A Perspective on Current Strategies to Monitor Microphysiological Systems. BIOSENSORS 2020; 10:E110. [PMID: 32872228 PMCID: PMC7558092 DOI: 10.3390/bios10090110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Organs-on-chip (OoC), often referred to as microphysiological systems (MPS), are advanced in vitro tools able to replicate essential functions of human organs. Owing to their unprecedented ability to recapitulate key features of the native cellular environments, they represent promising tools for tissue engineering and drug screening applications. The achievement of proper functionalities within OoC is crucial; to this purpose, several parameters (e.g., chemical, physical) need to be assessed. Currently, most approaches rely on off-chip analysis and imaging techniques. However, the urgent demand for continuous, noninvasive, and real-time monitoring of tissue constructs requires the direct integration of biosensors. In this review, we focus on recent strategies to miniaturize and embed biosensing systems into organs-on-chip platforms. Biosensors for monitoring biological models with metabolic activities, models with tissue barrier functions, as well as models with electromechanical properties will be described and critically evaluated. In addition, multisensor integration within multiorgan platforms will be further reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy; (E.F.); (C.P.); (S.V.); (P.O.)
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Teixeira MI, Amaral MH, Costa PC, Lopes CM, Lamprou DA. Recent Developments in Microfluidic Technologies for Central Nervous System Targeted Studies. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:E542. [PMID: 32545276 PMCID: PMC7356280 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12060542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) bear a lot of weight in public health. By studying the properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its fundamental interactions with the central nervous system (CNS), it is possible to improve the understanding of the pathological mechanisms behind these disorders and create new and better strategies to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency, such as nanocarriers. Microfluidics is an intersectional field with many applications. Microfluidic systems can be an invaluable tool to accurately simulate the BBB microenvironment, as well as develop, in a reproducible manner, drug delivery systems with well-defined physicochemical characteristics. This review provides an overview of the most recent advances on microfluidic devices for CNS-targeted studies. Firstly, the importance of the BBB will be addressed, and different experimental BBB models will be briefly discussed. Subsequently, microfluidic-integrated BBB models (BBB/brain-on-a-chip) are introduced and the state of the art reviewed, with special emphasis on their use to study NDs. Additionally, the microfluidic preparation of nanocarriers and other compounds for CNS delivery has been covered. The last section focuses on current challenges and future perspectives of microfluidic experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Inês Teixeira
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, MedTech - Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.I.T.); (M.H.A.); (P.C.C.)
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Maria Helena Amaral
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, MedTech - Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.I.T.); (M.H.A.); (P.C.C.)
| | - Paulo C. Costa
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, MedTech - Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.I.T.); (M.H.A.); (P.C.C.)
| | - Carla M. Lopes
- FP-ENAS/CEBIMED, Fernando Pessoa Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit/Biomedical Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Rua Carlos da Maia, 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
| | - Dimitrios A. Lamprou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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Visone R, Talò G, Occhetta P, Cruz-Moreira D, Lopa S, Pappalardo OA, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Rasponi M. A microscale biomimetic platform for generation and electro-mechanical stimulation of 3D cardiac microtissues. APL Bioeng 2018; 2:046102. [PMID: 31069324 PMCID: PMC6481729 DOI: 10.1063/1.5037968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Organs-on-chip technology has recently emerged as a promising tool to generate advanced cardiac tissue in vitro models, by recapitulating key physiological cues of the native myocardium. Biochemical, mechanical, and electrical stimuli have been investigated and demonstrated to enhance the maturation of cardiac constructs. However, the combined application of such stimulations on 3D organized constructs within a microfluidic platform was not yet achieved. For this purpose, we developed an innovative microbioreactor designed to provide a uniform electric field and cyclic uniaxial strains to 3D cardiac microtissues, recapitulating the complex electro-mechanical environment of the heart. The platform encompasses a compartment to confine and culture cell-laden hydrogels, a pressure-actuated chamber to apply a cyclic uniaxial stretch to microtissues, and stainless-steel electrodes to accurately regulate the electric field. The platform was exploited to investigate the effect of two different electrical stimulation patterns on cardiac microtissues from neonatal rat cardiomyocytes: a controlled electric field [5 V/cm, or low voltage (LV)] and a controlled current density [74.4 mA/cm2, or high voltage (HV)]. Our results demonstrated that LV stimulation enhanced the beating properties of the microtissues. By fully exploiting the platform, we combined the LV electrical stimulation with a physiologic mechanical stretch (10% strain) to recapitulate the key cues of the native cardiac microenvironment. The proposed microbioreactor represents an innovative tool to culture improved miniaturized cardiac tissue models for basic research studies on heart physiopathology and for drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Visone
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Talò
- Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Cruz-Moreira
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Lopa
- Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan, Italy
| | - Omar Antonio Pappalardo
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Redaelli
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
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13
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Ugolini GS, Visone R, Cruz-Moreira D, Mainardi A, Rasponi M. Generation of functional cardiac microtissues in a beating heart-on-a-chip. Methods Cell Biol 2018; 146:69-84. [PMID: 30037467 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
With the increasing attention on cardiovascular disorders and the current inability of pre-clinical models to accurately predict human physiology, the need for advanced and reliable heart in vitro models is paramount. Microfabrication technologies provide potential solutions in the organs-on-chip systems: microengineered devices where cell cultures can be hosted and cultured to develop three-dimensional models or microtissues with high similarity to human physiology. We here described the fabrication and operation procedures for a beating heart-on-a-chip. The device features a culture region for a 3D cardiac microtissue and a system for applying tuned mechanical stimulation during culture to improve cardiac development. We additionally describe procedures for characterizing tissue maturation via immunofluorescence and functional evaluations of microtissue contractility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roberta Visone
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniela Cruz-Moreira
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Mainardi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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14
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Tailoring cardiac environment in microphysiological systems: an outlook on current and perspective heart-on-chip platforms. Future Sci OA 2017; 3:FSO191. [PMID: 28670478 PMCID: PMC5481859 DOI: 10.4155/fsoa-2017-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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