Engineering localized injury: a 3D microfluidic platform approach for ex vivo tissue interrogation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Pathophysiology

Background:

• Understanding localized disease mechanisms ex vivo is challenging.
• Microfluidics offers improved replication of specific biological events.
• Existing methods lack precise control over sustained localized delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel 3D-printed microfluidic device.
• Enhance spatial resolution and sustainment of delivery for ex vivo studies.
• Enable precise examination of localized injuries over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D printing for microfluidic device fabrication.
• Demonstrated tissue viability and exquisite fluidic control.
• Incorporated real-time neurochemical monitoring.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed device offers superior spatial resolution and sustained delivery compared to previous methods.
• Tissue viability was maintained on the platform.
• Rapid, robust changes in dopamine signaling were observed at the focal ischemia site.

Conclusions:

• The novel microfluidic device significantly advances capabilities for localized tissue stimulation and injury studies.
• This platform enhances understanding of local physiological changes during ischemic events.
• It provides a critical improvement in biomedical tools for localized measurements within tissue.