Synthetic microfluidic systems for wound healing
A method of assaying wound healing can include: growing cells on the matrix in the first flow channel; introducing an agent that removes the matrix from the junction; introducing a matrix material into the second flow channel so as to form the second matrix in the second flow channel and junction; and detecting cellular migration into the junction onto the second matrix. The agent that removes the matrix can include a biomolecule or chemical agent. The method can include removing cells in the matrix in the junction before introducing the matrix material into the second flow channel. A bioactive agent can be introduced into the junction to determine if it modulates cellular migration and/or clot formation into the intersection openings of tissue and vascular channels.
1. A method of assaying cell migration, the method comprising:
a) providing a device having a first flow channel that intersects a second flow channel at a first junction, the first flow channel having an internal surface that is coated with a first a matrix material;
b) growing cells on the matrix material in the first flow channel;
c) injuring and/or removing cells in the junction if cells are in the junction; and
d) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the first flow channel into the junction.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the provided device has the matrix material in the junction, the method further comprising:
removing the matrix material from the junction before the detecting of cellular migration into the junction.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
a) after the matrix material is removed from the junction, introducing a second matrix material into the junction; and
b) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the first flow channel onto the second matrix material in the junction.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
introducing the second matrix material into the second flow channel in order to introduce the second matrix material into the junction.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the matrix material is removed from the junction by introducing an agent into the junction that removes the matrix material.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the agent that removes the matrix material includes an enzyme, biomolecule, or chemical.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising removing cells in the matrix material in the junction before introducing the second matrix material into the second flow channel.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
introducing a bioactive agent into the junction; and
determining whether the bioactive agent modulates cellular migration into the junction.
9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
a) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the first flow channel into the first junction, wherein the first junction is coated with the first matrix material;
b) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the first flow channel into the junction having the second matrix material, wherein the first and second matrix materials are different; and
c) comparing the first matrix material to the second matrix material to determine whether or not the two different matrix materials cause a difference in cellular migration into the junctions.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cells are primary cells or cell lines.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
a) providing a third flow channel that intersects a fourth flow channel at a second junction, the third flow channel having an internal surface that is coated with a second matrix material that is different from the first matrix material in the first junction;
b) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the first flow channel onto the first matrix material in the first junction; and
c) detecting cellular migration of the cells from the third flow channel onto the second matrix material in the second junction.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising comparing the cellular migration onto the first matrix material with the cellular migration onto the second matrix material.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a) the first flow channel has a first inlet and a first outlet;
b) the second flow channel has a second inlet and a second outlet and the junction between the first and second channels is between the first outlet and the second inlet; and
c) the matrix material is coated on an internal surface of the first flow channel between the first inlet and the first junction and/or between the first junction and the first outlet.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising growing cells on the first matrix material in the first flow channel between the first inlet and the junction and/or between the junction and the first outlet and/or in the junction.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
a) growing cells on the first matrix material in the first flow channel;
b) introducing an agent that removes the matrix material and/or cells from the junction;
c) introducing a second matrix material into the second flow channel and junction so as to form the second matrix material in the second flow channel and junction; and
d) detecting cellular migration into the junction onto the second matrix material.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the agent that removes the first or second matrix material includes an enzyme, biomolecule, or chemical.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
introducing a bioactive agent into the junction; and
determining whether the bioactive agent modulates cellular migration into the junction.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
comparing celluar migration into the junction on the first matrix material to cellular migration into the junction on the second matrix material.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cells are primary cells or cell lines.