A microfluidic flow-stretch chip for investigating blood vessel biomechanics

Lab Chip. 2012 Sep 21;12(18):3441-50. doi: 10.1039/c2lc40173h. Epub 2012 Jul 20.

Abstract

This microfluidic flow-stretch chip integrates fluid shear stress (FSS) and cyclic stretch (CS), two major mechanical stimulations in cardiovascular systems, for cultured cells. The model chip can deliver FSS and CS simultaneously or independently to vascular cells to mimic the haemodynamic microenvironment of blood vessels in vivo. By imposing FSS-only, CS-only, and FSS+CS stimulation on rat mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells, we found the alignment of the cellular stress fibers varied with cell type and the type of stimulation. The flow-stretch chip is a reliable tool for simulating the haemodynamic microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Blood Vessels / physiology*
  • Hemodynamics
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Rats
  • Shear Strength
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / physiology