Ultrathin Polymer Membranes with Patterned, Micrometric Pores for Organs-on-Chips.

ABSTRACT: The basal lamina or basement membrane (BM) is a key physiological system that participates in physicochemical signaling between tissue types. Its formation and function are essential in tissue maintenance, growth, angiogenesis, disease progression, and immunology. In vitro models of the BM (e.g., Boyden and transwell chambers) are common in cell biology and lab-on-a-chip devices where cells require apical and basolateral polarization. Extravasation, intravasation, membrane transport of chemokines, cytokines, chemotaxis of cells, and other key functions are routinely studied in these models. The goal of the present study was to integrate a semipermeable ultrathin polymer membrane with precisely positioned pores of 2 μm diameter in a microfluidic device with apical and basolateral chambers.

SUBMITTER: Pensabene V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5131702 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature