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Acrylic-based culture plate format perfusion device to establish liver endothelial-epithelial interface
Dennis McDuffie1, Charles G Alver1, Bhumi Suthar1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA. A.agarwal2@miami.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|June 14, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a novel acrylic organ-on-a-chip model that better mimics the body's natural cell environment. This new microphysiological system (MPS) enhances liver cell function and drug sensitivity compared to traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Tissue Engineering
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Microphysiological Systems (MPSs), or organs-on-chips, model human physiology in vitro.
- Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is common but has limitations like non-specific binding, hindering drug screening.
- The endothelial-epithelial interface (EEI) is a universal tissue architecture crucial for physiological modeling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel acrylic-based MPS that accurately reconstructs the endothelial-epithelial interface (EEI).
- To evaluate the biological efficacy of the EEI-based MPS using a liver model.
- To investigate the impact of physiological perfusion on hepatocyte function within the MPS.
Main Methods:
- Designed a membrane-based chip to create an endothelial-epithelial interface with differential flow exposure.
- Utilized a liver model with hepatic progenitor cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
- Employed computational modeling for perfusion physics and compared cell differentiation in MPS versus 2D cultures.
Main Results:
- The acrylic MPS significantly enhanced hepatic progenitor cell differentiation into hepatocytes.
- Observed increased extracellular protein transport and heightened hepatocyte sensitivity to drug treatment in the MPS.
- Demonstrated the critical role of physiological perfusion in maintaining proper hepatocyte function.
Conclusions:
- The novel acrylic MPS effectively models the EEI, improving liver cell function and drug response.
- Physiological perfusion is vital for accurate hepatocyte function modeling in vitro.
- The modular design offers potential for future multi-organ interaction studies.
