Microfluidics have a huge potential in biomedical research, in particular for studying interactions among cell populations that are involved in complex diseases. Here, we present "overflow" microfluidic networks (oMFNs) for depositing, culturing, and studying cell populations, which are plated in a few microliters of cell suspensions in one or several open cell chambers inside the chip and subsequently cultured for several days in vitro (DIV). After the cells have developed their phenotype, the oMFN is closed with a lid bearing microfluidic connections. The salient features of the chips are (1) overflow zones around the cell chambers for drawing excess liquid by capillarity from the chamber during sealing the oMFN with the lid, (2) flow paths from peripheral pumps to cell chambers and between cell chambers for interactive flow control, (3) transparent cell chambers coated with cell adhesion molecules, and (4) the possibility to remove the lid for staining and visualizing the cells after, for example, fixation. Here, we use a two-chamber oMFN to show the activation of purinergic receptors in microglia grown in one chamber, upon release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from astrocytes that are grown in another chamber and challenged with glutamate. These data validate oMFNs as being particularly relevant for studying primary cells and dissecting the specific intercellular pathways involved in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory brain diseases.

Overflow microfluidic networks for open and closed cell cultures on chip / R.D. Lovchik, F. Bianco, N. Tonna, A.M. Ruiz Moreno, M. Matteoli, E. Delamarche. - In: ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. - ISSN 0003-2700. - 82:9(2010), pp. 3936-3942. [10.1021/ac100771r]

Overflow microfluidic networks for open and closed cell cultures on chip

A.M. Ruiz Moreno;M. Matteoli
Penultimo
;
2010

Abstract

Microfluidics have a huge potential in biomedical research, in particular for studying interactions among cell populations that are involved in complex diseases. Here, we present "overflow" microfluidic networks (oMFNs) for depositing, culturing, and studying cell populations, which are plated in a few microliters of cell suspensions in one or several open cell chambers inside the chip and subsequently cultured for several days in vitro (DIV). After the cells have developed their phenotype, the oMFN is closed with a lid bearing microfluidic connections. The salient features of the chips are (1) overflow zones around the cell chambers for drawing excess liquid by capillarity from the chamber during sealing the oMFN with the lid, (2) flow paths from peripheral pumps to cell chambers and between cell chambers for interactive flow control, (3) transparent cell chambers coated with cell adhesion molecules, and (4) the possibility to remove the lid for staining and visualizing the cells after, for example, fixation. Here, we use a two-chamber oMFN to show the activation of purinergic receptors in microglia grown in one chamber, upon release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from astrocytes that are grown in another chamber and challenged with glutamate. These data validate oMFNs as being particularly relevant for studying primary cells and dissecting the specific intercellular pathways involved in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory brain diseases.
Settore BIO/14 - Farmacologia
   European consortium on synaptic protein networks in Neurological and Psychiatric diseases
   EUROSPIN
   EUROPEAN COMMISSION
   FP7
   241498
2010
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ac100771r.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 346.15 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
346.15 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/141404
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 7
  • Scopus 19
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 17
social impact