Rocker or pump? Transcriptomic response of endothelial cells exposed to peristaltic pump-based unidirectional flow...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Rocking-platform perfusion systems offer tubing-free, scalable organ-on-chip (OOC) solutions for research.
• These systems often generate bidirectional flow, which doesn't mimic physiological microvascular conditions.
• Pump-based systems provide unidirectional flow but lack the scalability of rocking platforms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the transcriptomic responses of endothelial cells (ECs) to flow from rocking platforms versus peristaltic pumps.
• To elucidate how different flow modalities impact EC behavior at the molecular level in OOC devices.

Main Methods:

• Endothelial cells were exposed to flow from a rocking platform and a peristaltic pump at matched average flow rates.
• Transcriptomic analysis was performed after 4 and 24 hours of flow exposure.
• Differential gene expression and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted.

Main Results:

• Distinct transcriptomic profiles were observed between the two flow modalities, with hundreds of differentially expressed genes.
• After 4 hours, enriched pathways included NF-κB, ERK, BMP, and MAPK signaling.
• After 24 hours, significant changes were noted in genes related to immune cell migration, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling.

Conclusions:

• Flow generated by rocking platforms and peristaltic pumps induces unique molecular responses in endothelial cells.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing OOC models for applications like drug discovery and precision medicine.
• Different flow dynamics significantly shape endothelial cell behavior and function.