Design of a versatile microfluidic device for imaging precision-cut-tissue slices

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• 3D Tissue Imaging

Background:

• Conventional methods for imaging precision-cut tissues (PCTs) often require large reagent volumes and apply ill-defined shear forces.
• Existing setups hinder the imaging of large volumes and repetitive imaging of specific regions in living tissue slices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a versatile microfluidic device for holding and imaging mouse or human pancreas PCTs.
• To enable 3D fluorescence imaging using confocal and selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM).
• To overcome limitations of conventional imaging methods regarding reagent use, shear force control, and imaging capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Developed a microfluidic device with a 5 × 5 mm × 140 µm deep chamber and 150 µm tall channels for media exchange.
• Integrated the device for 3D fluorescence imaging of PCTs using confocal microscopy and SPIM.
• Controlled localized shear stress on the tissue surface.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic device facilitates media exchange at approximately 10-fold lower flow rates compared to conventional chambers.
• The design allows for controlled shear stress application on the tissue.
• Enabled high-resolution imaging of the same immunofluorescently labeled PCT using both confocal microscopy and SPIM without compromising image quality.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic device offers a versatile platform for advanced 3D imaging of PCTs.
• It improves upon conventional methods by reducing reagent consumption, enabling precise shear stress control, and facilitating multi-modal imaging.
• This technology supports detailed investigation of tissue microenvironments in living slices.