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Microengineered hiPSC-Derived 3D Amnion Tissue Model to Probe Amniotic Inflammatory Responses under Bacterial
Fangchao Yin1,2, Yujuan Zhu1,2, Hui Wang1,2
1CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 China.
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|January 18, 2021
Summary
A novel human amnion-on-a-chip model using induced pluripotent stem cells effectively mimics intra-amniotic infection. This platform reveals early inflammatory responses and functional impairments in amnion tissue, aiding research into preterm birth causes.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Developmental Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Intra-amniotic infection is a major cause of preterm birth with severe neonatal consequences.
- Studying human amnion is difficult due to limited tissue availability and animal model limitations.
- Existing models do not fully replicate human amnion's complexity and response to infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a microengineered human amnion tissue model on a chip.
- To investigate the inflammatory response of human amnion to bacterial exposure.
- To establish a platform for studying early intrauterine inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to create a microengineered amnion tissue model.
- Employed a microdevice with parallel channels and a central matrix for 3D culture.
- Differentiated hiPSCs into polarized squamous amniotic epithelium under perfusion.
- Exposed the model to *E. coli* to simulate intra-amniotic infection.
Main Results:
- The hiPSC-derived amnion tissue model successfully recapitulated key features of intra-amniotic infection.
- Observed significant functional impairments including induced apoptosis and disrupted cell junctions.
- Detected increased inflammatory factor secretion in response to bacterial exposure.
- The model demonstrated early-stage clinical signs of infection.
Conclusions:
- The developed amnion-on-a-chip model is a viable platform for studying intrauterine inflammation.
- This model offers a more accurate representation of human amnion responses compared to traditional methods.
- Potential applications include advancing human embryology and reproductive medicine research.
- Facilitates early detection and understanding of preterm birth mechanisms.
