title: On chip porous polymer membranes for integration of gastrointestinal tract epithelium with microfluidic 'body-on-a-chip' devices.
abstract: We describe a novel fabrication method that creates microporous, polymeric membranes that are either flat or contain controllable 3-dimensional shapes that, when populated with Caco-2 cells, mimic key aspects of the intestinal epithelium such as intestinal villi and tight junctions. The developed membranes can be integrated with microfluidic, multi-organ cell culture systems, providing access to both sides, apical and basolateral, of the 3D epithelial cell culture. Partial exposure of photoresist (SU-8) spun on silicon substrates creates flat membranes with micrometer-sized pores (0.5-4.0 μm) that--supported by posts--span across 50 μm deep microfluidic chambers that are 8 mm wide and 10 long. To create three-dimensional shapes the membranes were air dried over silicon pillars with aspect ratios of up to 4:1. Space that provides access to the underside of the shaped membranes can be created by isotropically etching the sacrificial silicon pillars with xenon difluoride. Depending on the size of the supporting posts and the pore sizes the overall porosity of the membranes ranged from 4.4 % to 25.3 %. The microfabricated membranes can be used for integrating barrier tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract epithelium, the lung epithelium, or other barrier tissues with multi-organ "body-on-a-chip" devices.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. mbe2@cornell.edu
authors: Mandy Brigitte
authors: MB
authors: Esch
authors: Jong Hwan
authors: JH
authors: Sung
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Changhao
authors: C
authors: Yu
authors: Jiajie
authors: J
authors: Yu
authors: John C
authors: JC
authors: March
authors: Michael Louis
authors: ML
authors: Shuler
mesh_terms: D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004867:Equipment Design; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers