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Corral-Nájera K, Chauhan G, Serna-Saldívar SO, Martínez-Chapa SO, Aeinehvand MM. Polymeric and biological membranes for organ-on-a-chip devices. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:107. [PMID: 37649779 PMCID: PMC10462672 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00579-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Membranes are fundamental elements within organ-on-a-chip (OOC) platforms, as they provide adherent cells with support, allow nutrients (and other relevant molecules) to permeate/exchange through membrane pores, and enable the delivery of mechanical or chemical stimuli. Through OOC platforms, physiological processes can be studied in vitro, whereas OOC membranes broaden knowledge of how mechanical and chemical cues affect cells and organs. OOCs with membranes are in vitro microfluidic models that are used to replace animal testing for various applications, such as drug discovery and disease modeling. In this review, the relevance of OOCs with membranes is discussed as well as their scaffold and actuation roles, properties (physical and material), and fabrication methods in different organ models. The purpose was to aid readers with membrane selection for the development of OOCs with specific applications in the fields of mechanistic, pathological, and drug testing studies. Mechanical stimulation from liquid flow and cyclic strain, as well as their effects on the cell's increased physiological relevance (IPR), are described in the first section. The review also contains methods to fabricate synthetic and ECM (extracellular matrix) protein membranes, their characteristics (e.g., thickness and porosity, which can be adjusted depending on the application, as shown in the graphical abstract), and the biological materials used for their coatings. The discussion section joins and describes the roles of membranes for different research purposes and their advantages and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra Corral-Nájera
- School of Engineering and Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, 64849 Mexico
| | - Gaurav Chauhan
- School of Engineering and Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, 64849 Mexico
| | - Sergio O. Serna-Saldívar
- School of Engineering and Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, 64849 Mexico
| | - Sergio O. Martínez-Chapa
- School of Engineering and Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, 64849 Mexico
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Aeinehvand
- School of Engineering and Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey, 64849 Mexico
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Hakim Khalili M, Zhang R, Wilson S, Goel S, Impey SA, Aria AI. Additive Manufacturing and Physicomechanical Characteristics of PEGDA Hydrogels: Recent Advances and Perspective for Tissue Engineering. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15102341. [PMID: 37242919 DOI: 10.3390/polym15102341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this brief review, we discuss the recent advancements in using poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels for tissue engineering applications. PEGDA hydrogels are highly attractive in biomedical and biotechnology fields due to their soft and hydrated properties that can replicate living tissues. These hydrogels can be manipulated using light, heat, and cross-linkers to achieve desirable functionalities. Unlike previous reviews that focused solely on material design and fabrication of bioactive hydrogels and their cell viability and interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), we compare the traditional bulk photo-crosslinking method with the latest three-dimensional (3D) printing of PEGDA hydrogels. We present detailed evidence combining the physical, chemical, bulk, and localized mechanical characteristics, including their composition, fabrication methods, experimental conditions, and reported mechanical properties of bulk and 3D printed PEGDA hydrogels. Furthermore, we highlight the current state of biomedical applications of 3D PEGDA hydrogels in tissue engineering and organ-on-chip devices over the last 20 years. Finally, we delve into the current obstacles and future possibilities in the field of engineering 3D layer-by-layer (LbL) PEGDA hydrogels for tissue engineering and organ-on-chip devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hakim Khalili
- Surface Engineering and Precision Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Rujing Zhang
- Sophion Bioscience A/S, Baltorpvej 154, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sandra Wilson
- Sophion Bioscience A/S, Baltorpvej 154, 2750 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Saurav Goel
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, India
| | - Susan A Impey
- Surface Engineering and Precision Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Adrianus Indrat Aria
- Surface Engineering and Precision Centre, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK
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Farooqi ZH, Vladisavljević GT, Pamme N, Fatima A, Begum R, Irfan A, Chen M. Microfluidic Fabrication and Applications of Microgels and Hybrid Microgels. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2023:1-15. [PMID: 36757081 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2023.2177097] [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: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Smart microgels have gained much attention because of their wide range of applications in the field of biomedical, environmental, nanotechnological and catalysis sciences. Most of the applications of microgels are strongly affected by their morphology, size and size distribution. Various methodologies have been adopted to obtain polymer microgel particles. Droplet microfluidic techniques have been widely reported for the fabrication of highly monodisperse microgel particles to be used for various applications. Monodisperse microgel particles of required size and morphology can be achieved via droplet microfluidic techniques by simple polymerization of monomers in the presence of suitable crosslinker or by gelation of high molecular weight polymers. This report gives recent research progress in fabrication, characterization, properties and applications of microgel particles synthesized by microfluidic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahoor H Farooqi
- School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, New Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | | | - Nicole Pamme
- Department for Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Arooj Fatima
- School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, New Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Robina Begum
- School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, New Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ahmad Irfan
- Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Minjun Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
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Rojek K, Ćwiklińska M, Kuczak J, Guzowski J. Microfluidic Formulation of Topological Hydrogels for Microtissue Engineering. Chem Rev 2022; 122:16839-16909. [PMID: 36108106 PMCID: PMC9706502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics has recently emerged as a powerful tool in generation of submillimeter-sized cell aggregates capable of performing tissue-specific functions, so-called microtissues, for applications in drug testing, regenerative medicine, and cell therapies. In this work, we review the most recent advances in the field, with particular focus on the formulation of cell-encapsulating microgels of small "dimensionalities": "0D" (particles), "1D" (fibers), "2D" (sheets), etc., and with nontrivial internal topologies, typically consisting of multiple compartments loaded with different types of cells and/or biopolymers. Such structures, which we refer to as topological hydrogels or topological microgels (examples including core-shell or Janus microbeads and microfibers, hollow or porous microstructures, or granular hydrogels) can be precisely tailored with high reproducibility and throughput by using microfluidics and used to provide controlled "initial conditions" for cell proliferation and maturation into functional tissue-like microstructures. Microfluidic methods of formulation of topological biomaterials have enabled significant progress in engineering of miniature tissues and organs, such as pancreas, liver, muscle, bone, heart, neural tissue, or vasculature, as well as in fabrication of tailored microenvironments for stem-cell expansion and differentiation, or in cancer modeling, including generation of vascularized tumors for personalized drug testing. We review the available microfluidic fabrication methods by exploiting various cross-linking mechanisms and various routes toward compartmentalization and critically discuss the available tissue-specific applications. Finally, we list the remaining challenges such as simplification of the microfluidic workflow for its widespread use in biomedical research, bench-to-bedside transition including production upscaling, further in vivo validation, generation of more precise organ-like models, as well as incorporation of induced pluripotent stem cells as a step toward clinical applications.
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Xu Y, Zhu H, Denduluri A, Ou Y, Erkamp NA, Qi R, Shen Y, Knowles TPJ. Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2200180. [PMID: 35790106 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202200180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The emerging applications of hydrogel materials at different length scales, in areas ranging from sustainability to health, have driven the progress in the design and manufacturing of microgels. Microgels can provide miniaturized, monodisperse, and regulatable compartments, which can be spatially separated or interconnected. These microscopic materials provide novel opportunities for generating biomimetic cell culture environments and are thus key to the advances of modern biomedical research. The evolution of the physical and chemical properties has, furthermore, highlighted the potentials of microgels in the context of materials science and bioengineering. This review describes the recent research progress in the fabrication, characterization, and applications of microgels generated from biomolecular building blocks. A key enabling technology allowing the tailoring of the properties of microgels is their synthesis through microfluidic technologies, and this paper highlights recent advances in these areas and their impact on expanding the physicochemical parameter space accessible using microgels. This review finally discusses the emerging roles that microgels play in liquid-liquid phase separation, micromechanics, biosensors, and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Hongjia Zhu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Akhila Denduluri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yangteng Ou
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Nadia A Erkamp
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Runzhang Qi
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yi Shen
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
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Liu H, Chen B, Zhu Q. Potential application of hydrogel to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. J Biol Eng 2022; 16:10. [PMID: 35395765 PMCID: PMC8991948 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-022-00288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. This disorder may cause progressive and permanent impairment, placing significant physical and psychological strain on sufferers. Each progress in MS therapy marks a significant advancement in neurological research. Hydrogels can serve as a scaffold with high water content, high expansibility, and biocompatibility to improve MS cell proliferation in vitro and therapeutic drug delivery to cells in vivo. Hydrogels may also be utilized as biosensors to detect MS-related proteins. Recent research has employed hydrogels as an adjuvant imaging agent in immunohistochemistry assays. Following an overview of the development and use of hydrogels in MS diagnostic and therapy, this review discussed hydrogel’s advantages and future opportunities in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Haochuan Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Xiantai Street No. 126, Changchun, TX, 130031, PR China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Xiantai Street No. 126, Changchun, TX, 130031, PR China.
| | - Qingsan Zhu
- Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Xiantai Street No. 126, Changchun, TX, 130031, PR China.
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Thermal Behaviour of Microgels Composed of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks of Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) and Poly(acrylic acid): A Calorimetric Study. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 14:polym14010115. [PMID: 35012137 PMCID: PMC8747536 DOI: 10.3390/polym14010115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive microgels have recently attracted great attention in fundamental research as their soft particles can be deformed and compressed at high packing fractions resulting in singular phase behaviours. Moreover, they are also well suited for a wide variety of applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, organ-on-chip devices, microlenses fabrication and cultural heritage. Here, thermoresponsive and pH-sensitive cross-linked microgels, composed of interpenetrating polymer networks of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc), are synthesized by a precipitation polymerization method in water and investigated through differential scanning calorimetry in a temperature range across the volume phase transition temperature of PNIPAM microgels. The phase behaviour is studied as a function of heating/cooling rate, concentration, pH and PAAc content. At low concentrations and PAAc contents, the network interpenetration does not affect the transition temperature typical of PNIPAM microgel in agreement with previous studies; on the contrary, we show that it induces a marked decrease at higher concentrations. DSC analysis also reveals an increase of the overall calorimetric enthalpy with increasing concentration and a decrease with increasing PAAc content. These findings are discussed and explained as related to emerging aggregation processes that can be finely controlled by properly changing concentration, PAAc content an pH. A deep analysis of the thermodynamic parameters allows to draw a temperature–concentration state diagram in the investigated concentration range.
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