多孔質膜を有するマイクロチップによる細胞アッセイ

抄録

Conventional method of cell–based assays in life science and medical application can be difficult to duplicate in vivo situation. Microfluidics is an emerging technology with potential to provide integrated environments for cell maintenance, continuous perfusion, and monitoring. In this paper, we introduce possibility of microfluidics to become a novel cell–based assay system with its concept. Then, we show a chip–based coculture system for cytotoxicity test, as our continuous effort to develop a multi–functional micro culture system realized by integration of fluidic control and detection functionalities. The culture zone in the chip was divided into two compartments separated by a microporous membrane through which substances in culture medium can freely come-and-go to induce the mutual interactions between the cells cultured at each compartment. Performances of the chip were examined 1) monitoring of polarized transport activity of intestinal tissue models, 2) cytotoxicity model through oral intake by coculture. As a result, we conclude that microfluidics may have applications in toxicity test and drug screening.