The human tissue barrier chip platform MEPS-TBC is an organ-on-a-chip device designed to construct 2D-3D hybrid microfluidics compartments, where the vascular endothelium interacts with perivascular cells in 3D. The unique structural design enables reversible mechanical assembly and disassembly of the tissue-tissue barrier compartments for further post-analysis of cells and tissues. This pack of 10 chips provides 40 replicate units for high-throughput experiments.
General
This chip displays 4 identical and independent designs to model tissue-to-tissue barriers constructed by 2D-3D hybrid co-culture. Thanks to the microfluidic channels connecting the different cell culture areas, it is possible to apply physiological shear stress for better biological mimicking.
The chip is manufactured in polystyrene and features an upper channel for 2D cell culture, connected to a lower 3D-culture chamber via a polycarbonate membrane with a 3 µm pore size. Extracellular-matrix (ECM) components can thus be loaded in the 3D chamber to better mimic the cellular environment. The inlets and outlets are compatible with a 1 µL pipette tip.
The platform allows high-precision sampling for drug testing and disease modeling. Interestingly, the microfluidic compartments can be disassembled to easily get access to cells and tissues and perform further analysis. A wide range of applications can be explored, spanning from 2D vascular endothelial barrier to 3D blood-brain-barrier model or the setup of a 3D neurovascular unit.
Content
10x MEPS-TBC chips (individually wrapped and sterile)
Specifications
| Applications |
Perfused 2D/3D tissue-tissue co-culture |
| Materials |
Polystyrene |
| Number of units per chip |
4 |
| Dimensions |
115 mm x 60 mm |
| Base |
Channel width x height |
300 µm x 940 µm |
| |
Inlet/outlet diameter |
⌀ 2.5 mm |
| |
ECM-gel loading volume |
1.07 µL |
| |
Perfusion channel volume |
0.14 µL |
| Insert |
Channel width x height |
500 µm x 100 µm |
| |
Inlet/outlet diameter |
⌀ 2.5 mm |
| |
Perfusion channel volume |
0.3 µL |
| Membrane |
Pore size/density |
3 µm / 2E+06 cm² |
| |
Materials |
Polycarbonate |
| |
Thickness |
9 µm |
| |
Co-culture interface surface |
1.14 mm² |
| Medium volume |
5 mL in each well |
Documentation
Protocol will be provided via email after purchase.
Ahn, S. I., Sei, Y. J., Park, H. J., Kim, J., Ryu, Y., Choi, J. J., Sung, H-J., MacDonald, T. J., Levey, A. I. & Kim, Y. (2020). Microengineered human blood-brain barrier platform for understanding nanoparticle transport mechanisms. Nature Communications,11, 175. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13896-7
Kim, J. I., Yoon, T., Kim, P., Bekhbat, M., Kang, S. M., Rho, H. S., Ahn, S. I. & Kim, Y. (2023). Manufactured tissue-to-tissue barrier chip for modeling the human blood-brain barrier and regulation of cellular trafficking. Lab on a Chip,23(13), 2990-3001. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3LC00124E
