A Microfluidic System for Real-Time Monitoring and In Situ Metabolite Detection of Plasma-Enhanced Wound Healing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Plasma Physics
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) shows potential for wound repair due to its non-thermal, non-invasive nature.
• The precise cellular and metabolic mechanisms of CAP's effects on wound healing are not well understood.
• Existing research lacks dynamic, in situ monitoring of cellular responses during CAP treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and utilize an integrated microfluidic system for real-time, multiparametric monitoring of cellular responses to CAP.
• To investigate the dynamic effects of CAP on cell migration, proliferation, and metabolic regulation during wound healing.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of CAP-mediated wound repair.

Main Methods:

• Engineered a stratified microfluidic chip for co-culturing HaCaT keratinocytes and HSF fibroblasts.
• Integrated a CAP treatment module with precise environmental controls (temperature, humidity, CO2).
• Employed multiparametric in situ sensing to simultaneously monitor cell migration, proliferation, and metabolic markers during CAP exposure.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic platform enabled real-time observation of wound healing under CAP intervention.
• A strong correlation was identified between the wound healing process and nitrite (NO2-) concentration.
• A significant decrease in keratin KRT14, a protein associated with wound healing, was observed during plasma-induced repair.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic system offers high-resolution tools for studying CAP's biological effects.
• Findings suggest nitrite concentration and KRT14 downregulation are key factors in CAP-mediated wound healing.
• The platform has potential for optimizing CAP treatment parameters, evaluating materials, and advancing personalized therapeutic development.