Directional Growth of Human Neuronal Axons in a Microfluidic Device with Nanotopography on Azobenzene‐Based Material. Issue 11 (3rd May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ristola, Mervi; Fedele, Chiara; Hagman, Sanna; Sukki, Lassi; Kapucu, Fikret Emre; Mzezewa, Ropafadzo; Hyvärinen, Tanja; Kallio, Pasi; Priimagi, Arri; Narkilahti, Susanna
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials interfaces. Volume 8:Issue 11(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-05-03
• Subjects: azobenzene -- human pluripotent stem cells -- light‐responsive materials -- microfluidics -- surface relief gratings -- topographic guidance; Materials science -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/admi.202100048
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2196-7350

Abstract

Abstract: Axonal dysfunction and degeneration are important pathological features of central nervous system (CNS) diseases and traumas, such as Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, ischemic stroke and spinal cord injury. Engineered microfluidic chips combined with human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)‐derived neurons provide valuable tools for targeted in vitro research on axons to improve understanding of disease mechanisms and enhance drug development. Here, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip integrated with a light patterned substrate is utilized to achieve both isolated and unidirectional axonal growth of hPSC‐derived neurons. The isolation of axons from somas and dendrites and robust axonal outgrowth to adjacent, axonal compartment, is achieved by optimized cross‐sectional area and length of PDMS microtunnels in the microfluidic device. In the axonal compartment, the photoinscribed nanotopography on a thin film of azobenzene‐containing molecular glass efficiently guides the growth of axons. Integration of nanotopographic patterns with a compartmentalized microfluidic chip creates a human neuron‐based model that supports superior axonal alignment in an isolated microenvironment. The practical utility of the chip by studying oxygen‐glucose deprivation‐induced damage for the isolated and aligned axons is demonstrated here. The created chip model represents a sophisticated platform and a novel tool for enhanced and long‐term axon‐targeted in vitro studies. Abstract : This paper presents a novel engineered microfluidic 3D3C chip with nanotopography on azobenzene‐based DR1 glass material. 3D3C chip is utilized to achieve isolated axonal growth and DR1 glass enables the directional axonal growth of human pluripotent stem cell‐derived neurons in their own microenvironment. The combination of these techniques is essential to gain a chip model representing a sophisticated platform for axonal injury studies.