Apparatus and methods for in vitro preclinical human trials
AssigneeThe George Washington University a Congressionally Chartered Not-for-Profit Corporation
InventorsIgor R. EFIMOV, Yun QIAO, Chaoyi KANG, Zhenyu LI, Quan DONG, Baichen LI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems comprising a microfluidic device are provided for maintaining and analyzing tissue slices. Methods for maintaining tissue slices in a microfluidic device are further provided.
Claims107
A system for maintaining and analyzing tissue slices, comprising:
- a microfluidic device comprising at least one tissue culture chamber;
- one or more actuators disposed in an interior of the tissue culture chamber;
- one or more sensors disposed in the interior of the tissue culture chamber;
- and
- an electronics module comprising a microcontroller, wherein the electronics module is coupled to the one or more actuators and the one or more sensors by an array of electrodes.
A method for maintaining one or more tissue slices in a microfluidic device, the method comprising culturing the one or more tissue slices in the microfluidic device, wherein the tissue slices are obtained from one or more organs, and wherein the microfluidic device comprises:
- a) one or more tissue culture chambers, wherein each tissue culture chamber provides a restricted environment supplied with oxygen and nutrients necessary to maintain a desired phenotype for each tissue slice;
- b) one or more actuators for maintenance of the one or more tissue slices or for phenotypic interrogation of the one or more tissue slices;
- c) one or more sensors for measuring one or more physiological parameters of the one or more tissue slices;
- and
- d) an electronics module comprising a microcontroller, wherein the electronics module is coupled to the one or more actuators and the one or more sensors by an array of electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.