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Three dimensional microfluidic cell arrays for ex vivo drug screening with mimicked vascular flow
Zeynep Dereli-Korkut1, H Dogus Akaydin, A H Rezwanuddin Ahmed
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York , 160 Convent Ave. Steinman Hall T-434, New York, New York 10031, United States.
Abstract:
Currently, there are no reliable ex vivo models that predict anticancer drug responses in human tumors accurately. A comprehensive method of mimicking a 3D microenvironment to study effects of anticancer drugs on specific cancer types is essential. Here, we report the development of a three-dimensional microfluidic cell array (3D μFCA), which reconstructs a 3D tumor microenvironment with cancer cells and microvascular endothelial cells. To mimic the in vivo spatial relationship between microvessels and nonendothelial cells embedded in extracellular matrix, three polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers were built into this array. The multilayer property of the device enabled the imitation of the drug delivery in a microtissue array with simulated blood circulation. This 3D μFCA system may provide better predictions of drug responses and identification of a suitable treatment for a specific patient if biopsy samples are used. To the pharmaceutical industry, the scaling-up of our 3D μFCA system may offer a novel high throughput screening tool.
Insights
Researchers developed a 3D microfluidic cell array (3D μFCA) to accurately model human tumor microenvironments. This new model improves prediction of anticancer drug responses, aiding personalized cancer treatment and drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Oncology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Accurate ex vivo models for predicting anticancer drug responses in human tumors are lacking.
- Mimicking the 3D tumor microenvironment is crucial for studying drug efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel three-dimensional microfluidic cell array (3D μFCA) to reconstruct a realistic 3D tumor microenvironment.
- To evaluate the potential of the 3D μFCA for predicting anticancer drug responses and facilitating personalized medicine.
Main Methods:
- Developed a 3D μFCA using three polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers to mimic in vivo spatial relationships.
- Incorporated cancer cells and microvascular endothelial cells to reconstruct the tumor microenvironment.
- Simulated blood circulation for realistic drug delivery within the microtissue array.
Main Results:
- The 3D μFCA successfully reconstructed a 3D tumor microenvironment.
- The system demonstrated the potential for improved prediction of anticancer drug responses.
- Enabled imitation of drug delivery via simulated blood circulation.
Conclusions:
- The developed 3D μFCA system offers a promising tool for predicting patient-specific drug responses.
- This technology could enhance personalized cancer treatment strategies.
- The scalable 3D μFCA system presents a novel high-throughput screening platform for the pharmaceutical industry.
