Pneumatic microfluidic cell compression device for high-throughput study of chondrocyte mechanobiology

• DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00320c
• Publication Date: 2018-06-07T16:35:24Z
• Authors: Donghee Lee; Alek Erickson; Taesun You; Andrew T. Dudley; Sangjin Ryu
• Keywords: mechanobiology; Chondrogenesis; Polydimethylsiloxane; Aggrecan; Matrix (chemical analysis)

Hyaline cartilage is a specialized type of connective tissue that lines many moveable joints (articular cartilage) and contributes to bone growth (growth plate cartilage). composed single cell type, the chondrocyte, which produces unique hydrated matrix resist compressive stress. Although stress has profound effects on transcriptional networks biosynthesis in chondrocytes, mechanistic relationships between strain, signal transduction, metabolism, production remain superficial. Here, we describe development validation polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based pneumatic microfluidic compression device generates multiple conditions platform. The contained an array PDMS balloons different sizes were actuated by pressurized air, compressed chondrocytes cells alginate hydrogel constructs. Our characterization testing showed developed platform could compress with various magnitudes simultaneously negligible effect viability. Also, compatible live imaging probe early stress, it can be rapidly dismantled facilitate molecular studies networks. Therefore, proposed will enhance productivity chondrocyte mechanobiology studies, applied study other types.