Semi-automated image acquisition and automatic image quantification methods for liver Organ-Chips.

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Cell Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Toxicant exposure alters cellular parameters, crucial for understanding toxicity mechanisms.
• Manual quantification in organ-chip models is time-consuming and variable.
• Existing microscopes are not optimized for organ-chip imaging, hindering automated analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop semi-automated imaging and automated quantification methods for organ-chip toxicity testing.
• To establish efficient data acquisition for cellular number, morphology, and function.
• To provide a cost-effective and space-saving alternative to traditional microscopy for organ-chip evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Emulate's transparent liver organ-chip (Liver-Chip).
• Employed Keyence's BZ-X700 fluorescence microscope for imaging.
• Developed semi-automated imaging and automated quantification for nuclei, mitochondrial viability, and apoptosis.

Main Results:

• Detected significant decreases in nuclear number and mitochondrial membrane potential.
• Observed significant increases in apoptosis following exposure to benzbromarone.
• Demonstrated the ability of automated methods to detect chemical exposure-induced cellular changes.

Conclusions:

• Developed efficient, semi-automated imaging and automated quantification methods for organ-chips.
• These methods enhance data quality and reduce analysis time in toxicity testing.
• The approach offers a viable alternative for organ-chip evaluation, improving toxicant effect assessment.