Manufacturer’s Data Delivery Date: 11/21/2023 (picked up and logged by Ahmet Gurcan) Membrane Type: 1 Slot NPN SKU: NPSN100-1L Quantity Received: 290 Manufacturer Test Report: Average porosity: 10.3%, Average pore size: 40.2nm Packing slip & invoice: None UR Testing Porosity: N/A (Ran out before report was done) Pore size: N/A (Ran out before report was…
Introduction In this post I will review work I have completed to further characterize the CAD-LB platform. In this set of experiments combinations of nanoparticle species were used to define colocalization limitations. More specifically, two nanoparticle species each labeled with a unique fluorescent dye (red or blue) were used to simulate pan EV and antibody…
Introduction The glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is an intermediate protein released by astrocytes and has value as a serum-based biomarker of neurological abnormalities including traumatic brain injury1. Inspired by the CAD-LB method for digital assessment of biomarkers on small extracellular vesicles, we sought to create a digital immunoassay for the detection of protein biomarkers….
Introduction: Building upon previous research conducted by the Gaborski and McGrath labs, this poster introduces a novel approach to isolate extracellular vesicles (EVs) based on size. The earlier work involved the development of a tangential flow membrane capture system to address isolation challenges. In this extension, a nano-geometry membrane is fabricated to selectively filter out…
Introduction: This post presents a comprehensive protocol detailing an in vitro seeding and culturing method tailored for diverse cellular monolayer and tissue interfaces. These interfaces necessitate varying culturing conditions and extended timeframes, facilitated through modular device utilization. The methodology focuses on endothelial cells interfacing a three-dimensional (3D) tissue construct, demarcated by a porous membrane within…
Introduction Astrocytes, which are the most abundant glial cells and key components of the BBB, are known to play crucial roles in initiating and responding to neuroinflammation.1 Astrocytes’ activation after injuries suggests that they could potentially serve as a marker of neuroinflammation. In this blog, I investigated the potential of astrocytes to serve as a…
Introduction Many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are associated with an early breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB). This includes an increase in permeability and pericyte degradation [1]. We hypothesize that using dual-scale (nanoporous and microporous) membranes in the µSiM-BBB model will create an inherently ‘leaky’ BBB which can be used…
First, a quick publication update. Recently we’ve published a paper on our efforts towards computationally analyzing polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) trafficking on a vascular endothelium via hand-built µSiM flow cell devices. We record videos in phase contrast with a 40x objective and are able to delineate PMN state, speed, and persistence by leveraging ML algorithms and…
Introduction Tissue barriers regulate the absorption of nutrients, maintain homeostasis, and prevent toxins from entering. As previously introduced, trans-epithelial/endothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements offer a non-destructive and real-time method to quantitatively evaluate the integrity of tissue barriers. During the process, a small AC current (10 µA, 12.5 Hz) is applied across the barrier while the…
Introduction As discussed in a previous post, we are working to adapt a PDMS flow insert as a manufacturable component. While our priority was maintaining the original flow channel geometry as Mansouri et al. designed, we slightly changed the channel length (5 mm –> 4.6 mm) to accommodate an extra bonding area for the pressure-sensitive…