|
1
|
Karimi M, Bahrami S, Mirshekari H, Basri SMM, Nik AB, Aref AR, Akbari M, Hamblin MR. Microfluidic systems for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:2551-71. [PMID: 27296463 PMCID: PMC4935609 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00489j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Neural tissue engineering aims at developing novel approaches for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, by providing a permissive environment for the growth and differentiation of neural cells. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems provide a closer biomimetic environment, and promote better cell differentiation and improved cell function, than could be achieved by conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems. With the recent advances in the discovery and introduction of different types of stem cells for tissue engineering, microfluidic platforms have provided an improved microenvironment for the 3D-culture of stem cells. Microfluidic systems can provide more precise control over the spatiotemporal distribution of chemical and physical cues at the cellular level compared to traditional systems. Various microsystems have been designed and fabricated for the purpose of neural tissue engineering. Enhanced neural migration and differentiation, and monitoring of these processes, as well as understanding the behavior of stem cells and their microenvironment have been obtained through application of different microfluidic-based stem cell culture and tissue engineering techniques. As the technology advances it may be possible to construct a "brain-on-a-chip". In this review, we describe the basics of stem cells and tissue engineering as well as microfluidics-based tissue engineering approaches. We review recent testing of various microfluidic approaches for stem cell-based neural tissue engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Karimi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Sajad Bahrami
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. and Nanomedicine Research Association (NRA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirshekari
- Advanced Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine Research Group (ANNRG), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Masoud Moosavi Basri
- Bioenvironmental Research Center, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. and Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirala Bakhshian Nik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir R Aref
- Department of Cancer Biology, Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Mohsen Akbari
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. and Laboratory for Innovations in MicroEngineering (LiME), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. and Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| |
Collapse
|