A Microfluidic Device for Enabling the Controlled Growth of Cells and Methods Relating to Same
Background: In many neurodegenerative diseases and in spinal cord injury, axons and synapses are damaged; a cell culture model is useful for investigation into these areas of research. In typical cell culture it is difficult to distinguish axon from dendrite, and fairly impossible to simulate microenvironments encountered along axons, dendrites or synapses. In a Petri dish for example there is no way to prevent cells from combining and hence it is difficult and in some cases impossible for even a scientifically trained person to isolate the cells for purposes of performing tests or exposing the cells to different solutions. Hence there is a need for a microenvironment that allows for the controlled growth and use of neurons and other cellular structures. That is, there is a need for an improved device that allows for the controlled positioning and growth of cells and the application of different compounds to different areas of the cell. The invention described herein solves these and other problems inherent in the prior art through the use of various devices and methods for obtaining control over the growth of various biological structures such as neurons or other cell types. Technology: One or more embodiments of the invention are directed towards a multi-compartment microfluidic device for enabling fluidic isolation among interconnected compartments and accomplishing centrifugal positioning and / or patterned substrate positioning of biological specimens within the device. One or more devices comprise a micropatterned substrate coupled with an optically transparent housing for purpose of imaging the biological specimens grown within the device. Cells are aligned to a chosen location through the use of certrifugual force or through patterned substrate techniques.One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to a microfluidics-based multicompartment culture chamber for neurons that polarizes and isolates axons separately from cell bodies and dendrites. This microfluidic culture chamber is the first easily reproducible chamber to culture cortical and hippocampal neurons that does not require trophic factors to guide axonal growth. Since neurons are polarized and axons are isolated to one compartment, questions involving axonal transport, synaptic development, and axonal degeneration can readily be addressed using this method. Application: One or more embodiments of the invention are directed towards a multi-compartment microfluidic device for enabling fluidic isolation among interconnected compartments and accomplishing centrifugal positioning and / or patterned substrate positioning of biological specimens within the device. One or more devices comprise a micropatterned substrate coupled with an optically transparent housing for purpose of imaging the biological specimens grown within the device. Cells are aligned to a chosen location through the use of certrifugual force or through patterned substrate techniques. One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to a microfluidics-based multicompartment culture chamber for neurons that polarizes and isolates axons separately from cell bodies and dendrites. This microfluidic culture chamber is the first easily reproducible chamber to culture cortical and hippocampal neurons that does not require trophic factors to guide axonal growth. Since neurons are polarized and axons are isolated to one compartment, questions involving axonal transport, synaptic development, and axonal degeneration can readily be addressed using this method.
Type of Offer: Licensing
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