title: A Microfluidic Method to Mimic Luminal Structures in the Tumor Microenvironment.
abstract: Microscale 3D in vitro systems have attracted significant interest as tools for cancer research because the microscale systems offer better organization of the cellular microenvironment and enhance throughput of the systems by lowering costs and reducing the amount of reagents and cells. Lumens (i.e., tubular structures) are ubiquitous in vivo being present in blood vessels, mammary ducts, prostate ducts, and the lymphatic system. Lumen structures of varying size and geometry are involved in key normal and disease processes including morphogenesis, angiogenesis, cancer development, and drug delivery. Therefore, there is a need for practical methods that create various lumen structures having different size and geometries to investigate how cells in the lumen structure respond to certain microenvironmental conditions during cancer development and progression. Here, we present a method to create multiple three-dimensional (3D) luminal structures, where parameters, such as size, geometry, and distance, can easily be controlled using simple poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micro-molds.
authors: Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies, Office of Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, The US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
authors: José A
authors: JA
authors: Jiménez-Torres
authors: Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies, Office of Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, The US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Beebe
authors: Division of Cellular and Gene Therapies, Office of Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, The US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA. kyung.sung@fda.hhs.gov.
authors: Kyung E
authors: KE
authors: Sung
mesh_terms: D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
keywords: 3D cell culture; Luminal structure; Microfluidics; Organotypic model; Tumor microenvironment