Reversible bonding in thermoplastic elastomer microfluidic platforms for harvestable 3D microvessel networks

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Transplantable microvessels are crucial for tissue regeneration and cell replacement therapies.
• Existing methods using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) face limitations in bonding strength and manufacturing options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) microfluidic devices for creating engineered injectable 3D microvessel networks.
• To demonstrate the utility of TPE devices as an organ-on-a-chip platform for generating transplantable tissues.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of microfluidic devices using flexible, optically transparent TPE.
• Utilizing TPE's reversible bonding characteristics to create stable yet releasable microvessel networks on polystyrene (PS) substrates.
• Assessing bonding strength compared to PDMS devices and evaluating the integrity of harvested microvessel networks.

Main Results:

• TPE-based devices exhibited nearly 6-fold higher bonding strength during cell culture than PDMS devices.
• Successfully generated perfusable, interconnected 3D microvessel networks on PS substrates.
• Demonstrated intact harvesting of microvessel networks after TPE slab removal and gel digestion, confirming structural integrity.

Conclusions:

• TPE microfluidic devices provide a robust and versatile platform for organ-on-a-chip applications.
• The reversible bonding approach facilitates the harvesting of intact microvessel networks for transplantation.
• This technology holds significant potential for animal-free tissue generation and clinical applications in regenerative medicine.