Overview

Cell attachment to the microcapillary wall as a result of sensing of chemotactic molecules, subsequent transmigration through the endothelial cell layer and invasion into the underlying tissue are all key steps in cell-cell signaling and involved in inflammation and therapeutic areas such as oncology and cardiovascular diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis).. These experimental conditions can easily be studied using Cellix's microfluidic pumps and biochips. The dimensions of the biochips can mimic those of human capillaries thereby enabling researchers to simulate in vivo microenvironments. A key additional benefit of using microfluidics is the reduction in sample volume required for experiments. This is particularly important when using whole blood. Cellix's 8-channel Mirus Evo Nanopump enables researchers to conduct up to 8 assays simultaneously in microfluidic biochips while single assays may be conducted using the ExiGo pump. The microcapillary walls of Cellix's biochips may be pre-coated with fibronectin to promote culturing of endothelial cells (e.g. HUVECs, HMVECs, HLMECs) via the Kima pump, resulting in a set-up for studying chemotaxis, transmigration and invasion assays.

Assays:

• cell chemotaxis, transmigration and invasion assays.
• cell observation with brightfield, phase contrast and immunostaining microscopy (all biochips)
• T-cell-endothelial; neutrophil-endothelial; PBMC-endothelial; monocyte-endothelial; eosinophil-endothelial cell interaction studies
• investigation of anti-inflammatory, oncology and cardiovascular therapies

Assay Examples:

• Proteinase 3 Contributes to Transendothelial Migration of NB1-Positive Neutrophils
• Melanoma: Metastatic movement of melanoma cells in VenaT4 biochip under flow conditions.