Gut-on-a-chip for exploring the transport mechanism of Hg(II)

Li Wang; Junlei Han; Weiguang Su; Anqing Li; Wenxian Zhang; Huimin Li; Huili Hu; Wei Song; Chonghai Xu; Jun Chen

doi:10.1038/s41378-022-00447-2

Gut-on-a-chip for exploring the transport mechanism of Hg(II)

Microsyst Nanoeng. 2023 Jan 1:9:2. doi: 10.1038/s41378-022-00447-2. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Li Wang^{1

2}, Junlei Han^{1

2}, Weiguang Su^{1

2}, Anqing Li^{1

2}, Wenxian Zhang^{1

2}, Huimin Li^{1

2}, Huili Hu^{3

4}, Wei Song⁵, Chonghai Xu^{1

2}, Jun Chen^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Mechanical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353 China.
² Shandong Institute of Mechanical Design and Research, Jinan, 250353 China.
³ The Key Laboratory of Experimental Teratology, Ministry of Education and Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, 250012 Jinan, China.
⁴ The Research Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo Medical College, Shandong University, 250012 Jinan, China.
⁵ Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021 China.

Abstract

Animal models and static cultures of intestinal epithelial cells are commonly used platforms for exploring mercury ion (Hg(II)) transport. However, they cannot reliably simulate the human intestinal microenvironment and monitor cellular physiology in situ; thus, the mechanism of Hg(II) transport in the human intestine is still unclear. Here, a gut-on-a-chip integrated with transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) sensors and electrochemical sensors is proposed for dynamically simulating the formation of the physical intestinal barrier and monitoring the transport and absorption of Hg(II) in situ. The cellular microenvironment was recreated by applying fluid shear stress (0.02 dyne/cm²) and cyclic mechanical strain (1%, 0.15 Hz). Hg(II) absorption and physical damage to cells were simultaneously monitored by electrochemical and TEER sensors when intestinal epithelial cells were exposed to different concentrations of Hg(II) mixed in culture medium. Hg(II) absorption increased by 23.59% when tensile strain increased from 1% to 5%, and the corresponding expression of Piezo1 and DMT1 on the cell surface was upregulated.

Keywords: Engineering; Nanoscience and technology.