Native extracellular matrix-derived semipermeable, optically transparent, and inexpensive membrane inserts for microfluidic cell culture.

ABSTRACT: Semipermeable cell culture membranes are commonly used in multilayered microfluidic devices to mimic the basement membrane in vivo and to create compartmentalized microenvironments for physiological cell growth and differentiation. However, existing membranes are predominantly made up of synthetic polymers, providing limited capacity to replicate cellular interactions with native extracellular matrices that play a crucial role in the induction of physiological phenotypes. Here we describe a new type of cell culture membranes engineered from native extracellular matrix (ECM) materials that are thin, semipermeable, optically transparent, and amenable to integration into microfluidic cell culture devices. Facile and cost-effective fabrication of these membranes was achieved by controlled sequ

SUBMITTER: Mondrinos MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5782796 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature