title: A microfluidic array for quantitative analysis of human neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation in three-dimensional hypoxic microenvironment.
abstract: We report a microfluidic array for investigating and quantitatively analyzing human neural stem cell (hNSC) self-renewal and differentiation in an in vivo-like microenvironment. NSC niche conditions, including three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices and low oxygen tension, were effectively reconstituted in the microfluidic array in a combinatorial manner. The array device was fabricated to be detachable, rendering it compatible with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for quantifying the effects of the biomimetic conditions on hNSC self-renewal and differentiation. We show that throughput of 3D cell culture and quantitative analysis can be increased. We also show that 3D hypoxic microenvironments maintain hNSC self-renewal capacity and direct neuronal commitment during hNSC differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kisuk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sewoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yoojin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kook In
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Seung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*