Journal
LAB ON A CHIP
Volume 10, Issue 18, Pages 2341-2349Publisher
ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/c004675b
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- NSERC
- OCE Champions of Innovation
- Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research [MOP84402]
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship
- Barbara & Frank Milligan Fellowship
- Heart & Stroke/Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Although pathologic changes to the structure and function of small blood vessels are hallmarks of various cardiovascular diseases, limitations of conventional investigation methods (i.e. pressure myography) have prohibited a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms. We developed a microfluidic device to facilitate assessment of resistance artery structure and function under physiological conditions (37 degrees C, 45 mmHg transmural pressure). The platform allows for on-chip fixation, long-term culture and fully automated acquisition of up to ten dose-response sequences of intact mouse mesenteric artery segments (diameter approximate to 250 micrometres and length approximate to 1.5 mm) in a well-defined microenvironment. Even abluminal application of phenylephrine or acetylcholine (homogeneous condition) yielded dose-response relationships virtually identical to conventional myography. Unilateral application of phenylephrine (heterogeneous condition) limited constriction to the drug-exposed side, suggesting a lack of circumferential communication. The microfluidic platform allows us to address new fundamental biological questions, replaces a manually demanding procedure with a scalable approach and may enable organ-based screens to be routinely performed during drug development.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available