A microfluidic culture model of the human reproductive tract and 28-day menstrual cycle

Nat Commun. 2017 Mar 28:8:14584. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14584.

Abstract

The endocrine system dynamically controls tissue differentiation and homeostasis, but has not been studied using dynamic tissue culture paradigms. Here we show that a microfluidic system supports murine ovarian follicles to produce the human 28-day menstrual cycle hormone profile, which controls human female reproductive tract and peripheral tissue dynamics in single, dual and multiple unit microfluidic platforms (Solo-MFP, Duet-MFP and Quintet-MPF, respectively). These systems simulate the in vivo female reproductive tract and the endocrine loops between organ modules for the ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, cervix and liver, with a sustained circulating flow between all tissues. The reproductive tract tissues and peripheral organs integrated into a microfluidic platform, termed EVATAR, represents a powerful new in vitro tool that allows organ-organ integration of hormonal signalling as a phenocopy of menstrual cycle and pregnancy-like endocrine loops and has great potential to be used in drug discovery and toxicology studies.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Menstrual Cycle*
  • Mesothelin
  • Mice
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Ovary / metabolism*
  • Pregnancy
  • Tissue Culture Techniques / instrumentation*