Document Type
Poster
Journal/Book Title/Conference
College of Engineering Senior Design Projects
Publisher
Utah State University
Location
Logan, UT
Publication Date
2018
Abstract
In the body, nearly all cells in tissues reside in an extracellular matrix (ECM) consisting of a complex three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment created through cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions that maintain specificity and homeostasis of the tissue. Accurate representation of microenvironments is pivotal in furthering our understanding of several fields, including disease mechanisms, drug discovery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Current 3D tissue models are limited in their ability to reproduce tissue-specific biochemical and mechanical cues present in vivo1.
Decellularization is the chemical, physical, or enzymatic means of stripping cells from a tissue, producing a bare 3D ECM that is tissue-specific and representative of native microenvironments. Current decellularzation protocols successfully reduce cellular content at the cost of irreparable damage to the ECM2. In a novel approach, decellularization is conducted in a microfluidic environment for the purpose of minimizing ECM damage during DNA removal by the unique properties of microfluidic systems.
Recommended Citation
Morrill, Christian; Talbot, Adam; Wadsworth, Ian; Garrett, Melena; Castro, Elaine; Saatzer, Holly; and Huang, Yu, "Microfluidic Device for Decellularization of Murine Brain Slices" (2018). Biological Engineering. Paper 15.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bioengr_srdesign/15