Our Organ Chips
Organ chips, a type of microphysiological system, are multicellular, three-dimensional systems which aim to bridge the gap between traditional in vitro and in vivo models. Organ chips can reduce complexity and increase controllability of in vivo models, while increasing the physiological relevance of in vitro models. Our organ chips feature a “cut and assembly” method using a laser cutter to cut sheets of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polycarbonate (PC) track-etched membrane. These pieces are assembled in layers by aligning the 4 corner alignment holes and bonded by either laser cut double-sided adhesive tape or Viton gaskets, nuts, and bolts. Some designs utilize PET GelPins to compartmentalize cell-laden hydrogels to investigate cells existing in discrete areas adjacent to one another.
3 chambers. Main (green) and 2 secondary chambers (pink) separated from the main chamber by GelPins. This can be used to study the the interactions between a main cell type and two secondary cell types without the secondary types interacting. For example, the innervation of cardiomyocytes by both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons can be investigated.
3 basal chambers. The main, central chamber is separated from the two secondary chambers in the same Z plane using GelPins exactly like the previous design. There is an additional (green) chamber apical to this area which is separated by a semipermeable membrane layer.
4 discrete chambers. The two concentric circles are separated by GelPins, as are the outer circle and the outermost (square-like) compartment. This can be used to study a cell type of interest (green) and the interactions it has with 1-3 adjacently seeded cell types. For example, this chip has been used to investigate the sympathetic adrenomedullary axis by seeding preganglionic sympathetic neurons alongside adrenal chromaffin cells found in the adrenal medulla.
2 chambers adjacent to one another, separated by a GelPin. This can be used to study cell types that run parallel to one another, such as endothelial and smooth muscle cells in vasculature.
4 chambers separated by GelPins such that each chamber can interact with the ones next to it but not the one across from it. For example, the pink chamber can interact with the green chambers, but not the purple chamber.
