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Micromachines
Special Issues
Cell Culture Platforms and Microphysiological Systems
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Cell Culture Platforms and Microphysiological Systems

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "B：Biology and Biomedicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2021) | Viewed by 11438

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Andres Rubiano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Interests: organs-on-a-chip; micro-fluidics; tissue engineering; mechanobiology; soft-matter mechanics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of biomimetics combines engineering, chemistry, and biology to create systems that mimic biological environments. In-vitro models that integrate those biomimetic properties to in vitro culture platforms are usually referred to as microphysiological systems. However, they go by other names as well, like organ-on-a-chip, integrated cellular systems, or biomimetic microsystems. A commonly accepted definition of an organ-on-a-chip is a system that integrates three characteristics: co-culture, 3D, and microfluidics. These cell culture models and their associated techniques have the potential to improve disease modeling, pathogeneses understanding, and treatment.

In this Special Issue, we are inviting researchers to present their reviews and original paper investigations describing current developments and findings in the field of 2D and 3D biomimetic cell culture platforms. From system evaluation (e.g., reproducibility of experiments, system robustness, in vivo comparison benchmarks, etc.) to advances in translational fields like tissue regeneration, tumor progression, drug discovery and evaluation, and others, all original articles, reviews, protocols and short reports are welcome to be submitted.

Dr. Andres Rubiano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Microphysiological system
  • Biomimetic
  • Organ-on-a-chip
  • 3D cell-culture
  • In-vitro model
  • Microfluidics
  • Soft substrates
  • Drug screening
  • Toxicity testing

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4780 KiB  
Article
Modelling Renal Filtration and Reabsorption Processes in a Human Glomerulus and Proximal Tubule Microphysiological System
by Stephanie Y. Zhang and Gretchen J. Mahler
Micromachines 2021, 12(8), 983; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12080983 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3463
Abstract
Kidney microphysiological systems (MPS) serve as potentially valuable preclinical instruments in probing mechanisms of renal clearance and osmoregulation. Current kidney MPS models target regions of the nephron, such as the glomerulus and proximal tubule (PCT), but fail to incorporate multiple filtration and absorption [...] Read more.
Kidney microphysiological systems (MPS) serve as potentially valuable preclinical instruments in probing mechanisms of renal clearance and osmoregulation. Current kidney MPS models target regions of the nephron, such as the glomerulus and proximal tubule (PCT), but fail to incorporate multiple filtration and absorption interfaces. Here, we describe a novel, partially open glomerulus and PCT microdevice that integrates filtration and absorption in a single MPS. The system equalizes pressure on each side of the PCT that operates with one side “closed” by recirculating into the bloodstream, and the other “opened” by exiting as primary filtrate. This design precisely controls the internal fluid dynamics and prevents loss of all fluid to the open side. Through this feature, an in vitro human glomerulus and proximal tubule MPS was constructed to filter human serum albumin and reabsorb glucose for seven days of operation. For proof-of-concept experiments, three human-derived cell types—conditionally immortalized human podocytes (CIHP-1), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and human proximal tubule cells (HK-2)—were adapted into a common serum-free medium prior to being seeded into the three-component MPS (T-junction splitter, glomerular housing unit, and parallel proximal tubule barrier model). This system was optimized geometrically (tubing length, tubing internal diameter, and inlet flow rate) using in silico computational modeling. The prototype tri-culture MPS successfully filtered blood serum protein and generated albumin filtration in a physiologically realistic manner, while the device cultured only with proximal tubule cells did not. This glomerulus and proximal convoluted tubule MPS is a potential prototype for the human kidney used in both human-relevant testing and examining pharmacokinetic interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Culture Platforms and Microphysiological Systems)
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11 pages, 1980 KiB  
Article
Sternal Bone Marrow Harvesting and Culturing Techniques from Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
by Jimmy J. H. Kang, Sabin J. Bozso, Ryaan EL-Andari, Michael C. Moon, Darren H. Freed, Jayan Nagendran and Jeevan Nagendran
Micromachines 2021, 12(8), 897; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12080897 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2012
Abstract
Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are the most prominent cell type used in clinical regenerative medicine and stem cell research. MSCs are commonly harvested from bone marrow that has been aspirated from patients’ iliac crest. However, the ethical challenges of finding consenting patients [...] Read more.
Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are the most prominent cell type used in clinical regenerative medicine and stem cell research. MSCs are commonly harvested from bone marrow that has been aspirated from patients’ iliac crest. However, the ethical challenges of finding consenting patients and obtaining fresh autologous cells via invasive extraction methods remain to be barriers to MSC research. Methods: Techniques of harvesting sternal bone marrow, isolating and culturing MSCs, MSC surface phenotyping, and MSC differentiation are described. Samples from 50 patients undergoing a sternotomy were collected, and the time taken to reach 80% confluency and cell count at the second splitting of MSC were measured. Results: MSC isolated from the sternal bone marrow of patients undergoing cardiac surgery demonstrated successful MSC surface phenotyping and MSC differentiation. The mean cell count at the time of the second split was 1,628,025, and the mean time taken to reach the second split was 24.8 days. Conclusion: Herein, we describe the first reported technique of harvesting sternal bone marrow from patients already undergoing open-chest cardiac surgery to reduce the invasiveness of bone marrow harvesting, as well as the methods of isolating, culturing, and identifying MSCs for the clinical application of constructing autologous MSC-derived biomaterials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Culture Platforms and Microphysiological Systems)
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15 pages, 2009 KiB  
Article
Facile Patterning of Thermoplastic Elastomers and Robust Bonding to Glass and Thermoplastics for Microfluidic Cell Culture and Organ-on-Chip
by Stefan Schneider, Eduardo J. S. Brás, Oliver Schneider, Katharina Schlünder and Peter Loskill
Micromachines 2021, 12(5), 575; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12050575 - 18 May 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5269
Abstract
The emergence and spread of microfluidics over the last decades relied almost exclusively on the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The main reason for the success of PDMS in the field of microfluidic research is its suitability for rapid prototyping and simple bonding methods. PDMS [...] Read more.
The emergence and spread of microfluidics over the last decades relied almost exclusively on the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The main reason for the success of PDMS in the field of microfluidic research is its suitability for rapid prototyping and simple bonding methods. PDMS allows for precise microstructuring by replica molding and bonding to different substrates through various established strategies. However, large-scale production and commercialization efforts are hindered by the low scalability of PDMS-based chip fabrication and high material costs. Furthermore, fundamental limitations of PDMS, such as small molecule absorption and high water evaporation, have resulted in a shift toward PDMS-free systems. Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are a promising alternative, combining properties from both thermoplastic materials and elastomers. Here, we present a rapid and scalable fabrication method for microfluidic systems based on a polycarbonate (PC) and TPE hybrid material. Microstructured PC/TPE-hybrid modules are generated by hot embossing precise features into the TPE while simultaneously fusing the flexible TPE to a rigid thermoplastic layer through thermal fusion bonding. Compared to TPE alone, the resulting, more rigid composite material improves device handling while maintaining the key advantages of TPE. In a fast and simple process, the PC/TPE-hybrid can be bonded to several types of thermoplastics as well as glass substrates. The resulting bond strength withstands at least 7.5 bar of applied pressure, even after seven days of exposure to a high-temperature and humid environment, which makes the PC/TPE-hybrid suitable for most microfluidic applications. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the PC/TPE-hybrid features low absorption of small molecules while being biocompatible, making it a suitable material for microfluidic biotechnological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Culture Platforms and Microphysiological Systems)
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