Liu Y., Thomas A., Uhl C., Wang S., He R.
Lehigh University, US
Keywords: mimetic blood vessel, nanoparticle, targeted drug delivery
In order to develop in vitro methods, which more closely resemble in vivo environments, a novel technology involving the use of microfluidic devices, which more closely mimic blood vessels has been developed. The technology has been designed to incorporate the use of: (1) flow chambers with independent controls to mimic both healthy blood vessels and diseased blood vessels on the same device, (2) a bi-layer design exercising a semi-permeable membrane to utilize multiple cell lines, (3) and the capability to directly grow endothelial cells (ECs) directly onto the device and stimulate them chemically in local regions to mimic diseased condition. These mechanisms are found in microfluidic devices, which are more than two magnitudes of orders more expensive and require more sample volumes than the technology offered by the inventor. A significant need would be addressed by the success of this technology as a potential to offer researchers an effective, low-cost alternative microfluidic device which allows scientists to carry out both multiple and effective experimentations.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 4, Advanced Manufacturing, Electronics and Microsystems: TechConnect Briefs 2015
Published: June 14, 2015
Pages: 367 - 370
Industry sector: Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Micro & Bio Fluidics, Lab-on-Chip
ISBN: 978-1-4987-4730-1