title: Flow bioreactor design for quantitative measurements over endothelial cells using micro-particle image velocimetry.
abstract: Mechanotransduction in endothelial cells (ECs) is a highly complex process through which cells respond to changes in hemodynamic loading by generating biochemical signals involving gene and protein expression. To study the effects of mechanical loading on ECs in a controlled fashion, different in vitro devices have been designed to simulate or replicate various aspects of these physiological phenomena. This paper describes the design, use, and validation of a flow chamber which allows for spatially and temporally resolved micro-particle image velocimetry measurements of endothelial surface topography and stresses over living ECs immersed in pulsatile flow. This flow chamber also allows the study of co-cultures (i.e., ECs and smooth muscle cells) and the effect of different substrates (i.e., coverslip and∕or polyethylene terepthalate (PET) membrane) on cellular response. In this report, the results of steady and pulsatile flow on fixed endothelial cells seeded on PET membrane and coverslip, respectively, are presented. Surface topography of ECs is computed from multiple two-dimensional flow measurements. The distributions of shear stress and wall pressure on each individual cell are also determined and the importance of both types of stress in cell remodeling is highlighted.
authors: Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA. leongc@rpi.edu
authors: Chia Min
authors: CM
authors: Leong
authors: Abram
authors: A
authors: Voorhees
authors: Gary B
authors: GB
authors: Nackman
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Wei
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D008954:Models, Biological; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D033081:Shear Strength