US 11,207,676 B2 · Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for biomimetic bone remodeling analysis

Abstract

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for the biomimetic study of the multicellular interactions of bone cells includes a PDMS substrate and cap, which together form one or more wells that are fluidly coupled by tubes. The wells are configured to support various bone cells and related cellular support substrates therein, while the tubes allow conditioned medium (CM), including soluble signals, and various other co-factors to be communicated among the various wells. By controlling the configuration among and between various bone cells in the wells, the temporal and spatial limitations associated with traditional in vivo bone tissue models is removed. In addition, the LOC enables a particular research objective to be studied by allowing the user to configure the arrangement of the wells/tubes of the LOC, so as to control the manner in which bone cell soluble signals, bone cell contact, and bone cell matrix interaction interplay.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of analyzing bone cells using a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) comprising:

configuring a LOC having a substrate with an arrangement of a plurality of coupled wells connected by at least one tube extending from each said well;
attaching a cap to said substrate to seal said plurality of fluidly coupled wells and said at least one tube, wherein access to said at least one tube is through a port extending through said cap;
providing at least one bone cell type in a first one of said plurality of wells, and at least one bone cell type in a second one of said plurality of wells, wherein said at least one bone cell type in said second one of said plurality of wells is combined with a second cell type, to form a co-culture;
applying a treatment condition through said port to said at least one bone cell type in said first well to generate a conditioned medium (CM) therefrom;
flowing said CM to said second well having at least one bone cell type with said co-culture through said at least one tube;
and
quantifying an amount of bone formation or bone absorption that occurs in said at least one bone cell type with said co-culture in said second well in response to said CM.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for biomimetic bone remodeling analysis

Life of this patent

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for biomimetic bone remodeling analysis

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18