Using reconfigurable microfluidics to study the role of HGF in autocrine and paracrine signaling of hepatocytes.

ABSTRACT: Cancer, developmental biology and tissue injury present multiple examples where groups of cells residing in close proximity communicate via paracrine factors. It is nearly impossible to dissect such cellular interactions in vivo and is quite challenging in vitro. The goal of this study is to utilize a reconfigurable microfluidic device in order to study paracrine signal exchange between groups of primary hepatocytes in vitro. Previously, we demonstrated that hepatocytes residing on protein spots containing collagen and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) spots expressed epithelial (hepatic) phenotypes and also rescued them in neighboring hepatocytes on collagen spots that did not receive direct HGF stimulus. Herein, we designed a microfluidic device with parallel fluidic channels separated by r

SUBMITTER: Patel D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4546107 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature