Optimization of fluid flow in a novel organ chip
Summary
An experimental setup with organ tissue that can mimic the in vivo human microenvironment
would hugely impact drug-screening, disease modeling, and ultimately the
bioengineering of artificial organs. We discuss a novel microfluidic device that combines
biocompatible 3D printing and a hollow fibre membrane to study drug transport
and metabolic functions in human organs. This requires a tight mono-layer of
functional cells through differentiation of seeded Caco-2 cells. To enhance cell differentiation,
we aim to exert a homogeneous shear stress on the cells by a pulsatile fluid
flow.
Using numerical and analytic studies, we optimized the microfluidic design to allow
for physiologically relevant shear stresses. We have found a geometry similar to
concentric cylinders and an optimization criterion to maximize the time that cell differentiation
is enhanced. Once further measurements are performed, this criterion can be
used to optimize for the inflow. Our results suggest that a tight mono-layer of living
cells can be achieved in this novel device, which is a promising tool to model human
responses to newly developed drugs.