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We developed a novel "UniChip" design for pumpless body-on-a-chips, enabling unidirectional organ perfusion. This cost-effective system integrates shear-sensitive tissues, advancing preclinical drug development with reliable, recirculating microphysiological systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering
  • Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Technology
  • Preclinical Drug Development and Toxicology

Background:

  • Microphysiological systems (body-on-a-chips) serve as human surrogates for drug development.
  • Existing platforms often require pumps and struggle to integrate shear-sensitive tissues.
  • Our prior work introduced a pumpless, rocking-motion platform for recirculating flow.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce the
  • UniChip
  • fluid network design for pumpless body-on-a-chips.
  • To enable unidirectional perfusion of shear stress-sensitive tissues within a recirculating system.
  • To demonstrate the UniChip's effectiveness and backflow-proof capabilities.

Main Methods:

  • Developed the UniChip design using supporting channels and passive valves to convert reciprocating flow to unidirectional perfusion.
  • Created a demonstration chip and a BiChip for comparative analysis.
  • Conducted computational and experimental fluid dynamics characterization.
  • Cultured vascular endothelial cells on UniChips and BiChips to assess responses to flow conditions.

Main Results:

  • UniChip design successfully achieved continuous unidirectional flow and demonstrated a backflow-proof mechanism.
  • Vascular endothelial cells on UniChips exhibited alignment, elongated morphology, and suppressed proliferation, consistent with unidirectional laminar flow.
  • Cells on BiChips showed responses indicative of oscillatory flow, with polygonal shapes and intermittent cell junctions.
  • This represents the first gravity-driven system to achieve continuous unidirectional perfusion with recirculation.

Conclusions:

  • The UniChip design provides a reliable, cost-effective solution for integrating vasculature and shear-sensitive tissues into pumpless body-on-a-chips.
  • This technology facilitates long-term culture of sensitive tissues, enabling more accurate preclinical drug testing.
  • The UniChip design can accelerate the development and adoption of high-throughput microphysiological systems.