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Reichel F, Goswami R, Girardo S, Guck J. High-throughput viscoelastic characterization of cells in hyperbolic microchannels. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:2440-2453. [PMID: 38600866 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01061a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Extensive research has demonstrated the potential of cell viscoelastic properties as intrinsic indicators of cell state, functionality, and disease. For this, several microfluidic techniques have been developed to measure cell viscoelasticity with high-throughput. However, current microchannel designs introduce complex stress distributions on cells, leading to inaccuracies in determining the stress-strain relationship and, consequently, the viscoelastic properties. Here, we introduce a novel approach using hyperbolic microchannels that enable precise measurements under a constant extensional stress and offer a straightforward stress-strain relationship, while operating at a measurement rate of up to 100 cells per second. We quantified the stresses acting in the channels using mechanical calibration particles made from polyacrylamide (PAAm) and found that the measurement buffer, a solution of methyl cellulose and phosphate buffered saline, shows strain-thickening following a power law up to 200 s-1. By measuring oil droplets with varying viscosities, we successfully detected changes in the relaxation times of the droplets and our approach could be used to get the interfacial tension and viscosity of liquid-liquid droplet systems from the same measurement. We further applied this methodology to PAAm microgel beads, demonstrating the accurate recovery of Young's moduli and the near-ideal elastic behavior of the beads. To explore the influence of altered cell viscoelasticity, we treated HL60 human leukemia cells with latrunculin B and nocodazole, resulting in clear changes in cell stiffness while relaxation times were only minimally affected. In conclusion, our approach offers a streamlined and time-efficient solution for assessing the viscoelastic properties of large cell populations and other microscale soft particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Reichel
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ruchi Goswami
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Salvatore Girardo
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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2
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Chen Y, Ni C, Zhang X, Ni Z, Xiang N. High-Throughput Sorting and Single-Cell Mechanotyping by Hydrodynamic Sorting-Mechanotyping Cytometry. SMALL METHODS 2024:e2301195. [PMID: 38213022 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The existence of many background blood cells hinders the accurate identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of cancer patients. To unlock this limitation, a hydrodynamic sorting-mechanotyping cytometry (HSMC) integrated with a sorting-concentration chip and a detection chip is proposed for simultaneously achieving the high-throughput cell sorting and the multi-parameter mechanotyping of the sorted tumor cells. The HSMC adopts the spiral inertial microfluidics for label-free sorting of cells in a high-throughput manner, allowing the efficient enrichment of tumor cells from the large background blood cells. Then, the sorted cells are concentrated by the concentration unit and finally passed through the detection unit for hydrodynamic deformation. The HSMC has a high throughput for sorting and detection and can successfully reveal the differences in the cellular mechanical properties. After characterizing and optimizing the single chips, the identification of white blood cells (WBCs) and three types of tumor cells (A549, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cells) is successfully achieved. The identification accuracies for WBCs and different tumor cells are all larger than 94%, while the highest identification accuracy is up to 99.2%. This study envisions that the HSMC will offer an avenue for the analysis of single cell intrinsic mechanics in clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Chen Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Xiaozhe Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
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3
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Zhou Z, Ni C, Zhu Z, Chen Y, Ni Z, Xiang N. High-throughput adjustable deformability cytometry utilizing elasto-inertial focusing and virtual fluidic channel. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4528-4539. [PMID: 37766593 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00591g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Cell mechanical properties provide a label-free marker for indicating cell states and disease processes. Although microfluidic deformability cytometry has demonstrated great potential and successes in mechanical phenotyping in recent years, its universal applicability for characterizing multiple sizes of cells using a single device has not been realized. Herein, we propose high-throughput adjustable deformability cytometry integrated with three-dimensional (3D) elasto-inertial focusing and a virtual fluidic channel. By properly adjusting the flow ratio of the sample and sheath, the virtual fluidic channel in a wide solid channel can generate a strong shear force in the normal direction of the flow velocity and simultaneously squeeze cells from both sides to induce significant cell deformation. The combination of elasto-inertial focusing and a virtual fluidic channel provides a great hydrodynamic symmetrical force for inducing significant and homogeneous cell deformation. In addition, our deformability cytometry system not only achieves rapid and precise cell deformation, but also allows the adjustable detection of multiple sizes of cells at a high throughput of up to 3000 cells per second. The mini-bilateral segmentation network (mini-BiSeNet) was developed to identify cells and extract features quickly. The classification of different cell populations (A549, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and WBCs) was carried out based on the cell size and deformation. By applying deep learning to cell classification, a high accuracy reaching approximately 90% was achieved. We also revealed the potential of our deformability cytometry for characterizing pleural effusions. The flexibility of our deformability cytometry holds promise for the mechanical phenotyping and detection of various biological samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Chen Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhixian Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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4
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Sun J, Huang X, Chen J, Xiang R, Ke X, Lin S, Xuan W, Liu S, Cao Z, Sun L. Recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. Analyst 2023; 148:4922-4938. [PMID: 37743834 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01150j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Cell sorting is an essential prerequisite for cell research and has great value in life science and clinical studies. Among the many microfluidic cell sorting technologies, label-free methods based on the size of different cell types have been widely studied. However, the heterogeneity in size for cells of the same type and the inevitable size overlap between different types of cells would result in performance degradation in size-based sorting. To tackle such challenges, deformation-assisted technologies are receiving more attention recently. Cell deformability is an inherent biophysical marker of cells that reflects the changes in their internal structures and physiological states. It provides additional dimensional information for cell sorting besides size. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. According to how the deformability is characterized and the form in which the force acts, the technologies can be divided into two categories: (1) the indirect category including transit-time-based and image-based methods, and (2) the direct category including microstructure-based and hydrodynamics-based methods. Finally, the separation performance and the application scenarios of each method, the existing challenges and future outlook are discussed. Deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies are expected to realize greater potential in the label-free analysis of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiwei Huang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Rikui Xiang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiang Ke
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Siru Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Weipeng Xuan
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Shan Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, China
| | - Zhen Cao
- College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
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Barbosa F, Dueñas-Pamplona J, Abreu CS, Oliveira MSN, Lima RA. Numerical Model Validation of the Blood Flow through a Microchannel Hyperbolic Contraction. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1886. [PMID: 37893323 PMCID: PMC10608998 DOI: 10.3390/mi14101886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of blood flow through hyperbolic contraction with a discrete phase model (DPM) was experimentally validated. For this purpose, the positions and velocities of red blood cells (RBCs) flowing in a microchannel with hyperbolic contraction were experimentally assessed using image analysis techniques, and were subsequently compared with the numerical results. The numerically and experimentally obtained velocity fields were in good agreement, with errors smaller than 10%. Additionally, a nearly constant strain rate was observed in the contraction region, which can be attributed to the quasilinear increase in the velocity along the hyperbolic contraction. Therefore, the numerical technique used was validated due to the close similarity between the numerically and experimentally obtained results. The tested CFD model can be used to optimize the microchannel design by minimizing the need to fabricate prototypes and evaluate them experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Barbosa
- Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (METRICS), University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
| | - Jorge Dueñas-Pamplona
- Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Cristiano S. Abreu
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- LABBELS—Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Physics Department, Porto Superior Engineering Institute, ISEP, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica S. N. Oliveira
- James Weir Fluids Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK;
| | - Rui A. Lima
- Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (METRICS), University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- CEFT—Transport Phenomena Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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6
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Zhou S, Chen B, Fu ES, Yan H. Computer vision meets microfluidics: a label-free method for high-throughput cell analysis. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:116. [PMID: 37744264 PMCID: PMC10511704 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00562-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we review the integration of microfluidic chips and computer vision, which has great potential to advance research in the life sciences and biology, particularly in the analysis of cell imaging data. Microfluidic chips enable the generation of large amounts of visual data at the single-cell level, while computer vision techniques can rapidly process and analyze these data to extract valuable information about cellular health and function. One of the key advantages of this integrative approach is that it allows for noninvasive and low-damage cellular characterization, which is important for studying delicate or fragile microbial cells. The use of microfluidic chips provides a highly controlled environment for cell growth and manipulation, minimizes experimental variability and improves the accuracy of data analysis. Computer vision can be used to recognize and analyze target species within heterogeneous microbial populations, which is important for understanding the physiological status of cells in complex biological systems. As hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms continue to improve, computer vision is expected to become an increasingly powerful tool for in situ cell analysis. The use of microelectromechanical devices in combination with microfluidic chips and computer vision could enable the development of label-free, automatic, low-cost, and fast cellular information recognition and the high-throughput analysis of cellular responses to different compounds, for broad applications in fields such as drug discovery, diagnostics, and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
| | - Bingbing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
| | - Edgar S. Fu
- Graduate School of Computing and Information Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Hong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
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7
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George A, Akbaridoust F, Zainal Abidin NA, Nesbitt WS, Marusic I. Characterisation of hydrodynamic trapping in microfluidic cross-slot devices for high strain rate applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2023. [PMID: 37305977 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00256j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hydrodynamic trapping of a particle or cluster of particles based on contact and non-contact approaches has brought prominent insights to micro-nano scale applications. Of the non-contact methods, image-based real-time control in cross-slot microfluidic devices is one of the most promising potential platform for single cellular assays. Here, we report results from experiments conducted in two cross-slot microfluidic channels of different widths, with varying real-time delay of the control algorithm and different magnification. Sustained trapping of 5 μm diameter particles was achieved with high strain rates, of order 102 s-1, higher than in any previous studies. Our experiments show that the maximum attainable strain rate is a function of the real-time delay of the control algorithm and the particle resolution (pixel/μm). Therefore, we anticipate that with further reduced time delays and enhanced particle resolution, considerably higher strain rates can be attained, opening the platform to single cellular assay studies where very high strain rates are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravind George
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Farzan Akbaridoust
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Nurul A Zainal Abidin
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Warwick S Nesbitt
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Ivan Marusic
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
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8
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Büyükurgancı B, Basu SK, Neuner M, Guck J, Wierschem A, Reichel F. Shear rheology of methyl cellulose based solutions for cell mechanical measurements at high shear rates. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:1739-1748. [PMID: 36779239 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01515c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Methyl cellulose (MC) is a widely used material in various microfluidic applications in biology. Due to its biocompatibility, it has become a popular crowding agent for microfluidic cell deformability measurements, which usually operate at high shear rates (>10 000 s-1). However, a full rheological characterization of methyl cellulose solutions under these conditions has not yet been reported. With this study, we provide a full shear-rheological description for solutions of up to 1% MC dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) that are commonly used in real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC). We characterized three different MC-PBS solutions used for cell mechanical measurements in RT-DC with three different shear rheometer setups to cover a range of shear rates from 0.1-150 000 s-1. We report viscosities and normal stress differences in this regime. Viscosity functions can be well described using a Carreau-Yasuda model. Furthermore, we present the temperature dependency of shear viscosity and first normal stress difference of these solutions. Our results show that methyl cellulose solutions behave like power-law liquids in viscosity and exhibit first normal stress difference at shear rates between 5000-150 000 s-1. We construct a general viscosity equation for each MC solution at a certain shear rate and temperature. Furthermore, we investigated how MC concentration influences the rheology of the solutions and found the entanglement concentration at around 0.64 w/w%. Our results help to better understand the viscoelastic behavior of MC solutions, which can now be considered when modelling stresses in microfluidic channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beyza Büyükurgancı
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Santanu Kumar Basu
- Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Markus Neuner
- Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
- Chair of Biological Optomechanics, Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Wierschem
- Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Felix Reichel
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
- Chair of Biological Optomechanics, Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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Salipante PF. Microfluidic techniques for mechanical measurements of biological samples. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:011303. [PMID: 38505816 PMCID: PMC10903441 DOI: 10.1063/5.0130762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The use of microfluidics to make mechanical property measurements is increasingly common. Fabrication of microfluidic devices has enabled various types of flow control and sensor integration at micrometer length scales to interrogate biological materials. For rheological measurements of biofluids, the small length scales are well suited to reach high rates, and measurements can be made on droplet-sized samples. The control of flow fields, constrictions, and external fields can be used in microfluidics to make mechanical measurements of individual bioparticle properties, often at high sampling rates for high-throughput measurements. Microfluidics also enables the measurement of bio-surfaces, such as the elasticity and permeability properties of layers of cells cultured in microfluidic devices. Recent progress on these topics is reviewed, and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F. Salipante
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Polymers and Complex Fluids Group, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
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Zainal Abidin NA, Timofeeva M, Szydzik C, Akbaridoust F, Lav C, Marusic I, Mitchell A, Hamilton JR, Ooi AS, Nesbitt WS. A microfluidic method to investigate platelet mechanotransduction under extensional strain. Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2023; 7:100037. [PMID: 36846647 PMCID: PMC9944983 DOI: 10.1016/j.rpth.2023.100037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Blood platelets have evolved a complex mechanotransduction machinery to rapidly respond to hemodynamic conditions. A variety of microfluidic flow-based approaches have been developed to explore platelet mechanotransduction; however, these experimental models primarily focus on the effects of increased wall shear stress on platelet adhesion events and do not consider the critical effects of extensional strain on platelet activation in free flow. Objectives We report the development and application of a hyperbolic microfluidic assay that allows for investigation of platelet mechanotransduction under quasi-homogenous extensional strain rates in the absence of surface adhesions. Methods Using a combined computational fluid dynamic and experimental microfluidic approach, we explore 5 extensional strain regimes (geometries) and their effect on platelet calcium signal transduction. Results We demonstrate that in the absence of canonical adhesion, receptor engagement platelets are highly sensitive to both initial increase and subsequent decrease in extensional strain rates within the range of 747 to 3319/s. Furthermore, we demonstrate that platelets rapidly respond to the rate of change in extensional strain and define a threshold of ≥7.33 × 106/s/m, with an optimal range of 9.21 × 107 to 1.32 × 108/s/m. In addition, we demonstrate a key role of both the actin-based cytoskeleton and annular microtubules in the modulation of extensional strain-mediated platelet mechanotransduction. Conclusion This method opens a window onto a novel platelet signal transduction mechanism and may have potential diagnostic utility in the identification of patients who are prone to thromboembolic complications associated with high-grade arterial stenosis or are on mechanical circulatory support systems, for which the extensional strain rate is a predominant hemodynamic driver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul A. Zainal Abidin
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mariia Timofeeva
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Crispin Szydzik
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Farzan Akbaridoust
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chitrarth Lav
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Scuderia AlphaTauri F1, Bicester, UK
| | - Ivan Marusic
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Arnan Mitchell
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justin R. Hamilton
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew S.H. Ooi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Warwick S. Nesbitt
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Correspondence Warwick S. Nesbitt, The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
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11
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Maremonti MI, Dannhauser D, Panzetta V, Netti PA, Causa F. Cell deformability heterogeneity recognition by unsupervised machine learning from in-flow motion parameters. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4871-4881. [PMID: 36398860 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00902a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cell deformability is a well-established marker of cell states for diagnostic purposes. However, the measurement of a wide range of different deformability levels is still challenging, especially in cancer, where a large heterogeneity of rheological/mechanical properties is present. Therefore, a simple, versatile and cost-effective recognition method for variable rheological/mechanical properties of cells is needed. Here, we introduce a new set of in-flow motion parameters capable of identifying heterogeneity among cell deformability, properly modified by the administration of drugs for cytoskeleton destabilization. Firstly, we measured cell deformability by identification of in-flow motions, rolling (R), tumbling (T), swinging (S) and tank-treading (TT), distinctively associated with cell rheological/mechanical properties. Secondly, from a pool of motion and structural cell parameters, an unsupervised machine learning approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) revealed dominant features: the local cell velocity (VCell/VAvg), the equilibrium position (YEq) and the orientation angle variation (Δφ). These motion parameters clearly defined cell clusters in terms of motion regimes corresponding to specific deformability. Such correlation is verified in a wide range of rheological/mechanical properties from the elastic cells moving like R until the almost viscous cells moving as TT. Thus, our approach shows how simple motion parameters allow cell deformability heterogeneity recognition, directly measuring rheological/mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabella Maremonti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - David Dannhauser
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Valeria Panzetta
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Filippo Causa
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
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12
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Paul R, Zhang KS, Kurosu Jalil M, Castaño N, Kim S, Tang SKY. Hydrodynamic dissection of Stentor coeruleus in a microfluidic cross junction. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3508-3520. [PMID: 35971861 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00527a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Stentor coeruleus, a single-cell ciliated protozoan, is a model organism for wound healing and regeneration studies. Despite Stentor's large size (up to 2 mm in extended state), microdissection of Stentor remains challenging. In this work, we describe a hydrodynamic cell splitter, consisting of a microfluidic cross junction, capable of splitting Stentor cells in a non-contact manner at a high throughput of ∼500 cells per minute under continuous operation. Introduction of asymmetry in the flow field at the cross junction leads to asymmetric splitting of the cells to generate cell fragments as small as ∼8.5 times the original cell size. Characterization of cell fragment viability shows reduced 5-day survival as fragment size decreases and as the extent of hydrodynamic stress imposed on the fragments increases. Our results suggest that cell fragment size and composition, as well as mechanical stress, play important roles in the long-term repair of Stentor cells and warrant further investigations. Nevertheless, the hydrodynamic splitter can be useful for studying phenomena immediately after cell splitting, such as the closure of wounds in the plasma membrane which occurs on the order of 100-1000 seconds in Stentor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajorshi Paul
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Kevin S Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Myra Kurosu Jalil
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Nicolas Castaño
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Sungu Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Sindy K Y Tang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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13
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Chen Y, Guo K, Jiang L, Zhu S, Ni Z, Xiang N. Microfluidic deformability cytometry: A review. Talanta 2022; 251:123815. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.123815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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14
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Rubio A, López M, Vega EJ, Cabezas MG. Fire-Shaped Nozzles to Produce a Stress Peak for Deformability Studies. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14142784. [PMID: 35890562 PMCID: PMC9321844 DOI: 10.3390/polym14142784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fire-shaped nozzles can be used to study the deformability of microcapsules, particles, or cells traveling in a flow. Though their geometry depends on the dimensions of the original glass capillary and the heating conditions, they all produce a strain rate peak approximately at the section where the diameter is 1.5 times the minimum. The intensity of this peak and the time from its position to the neck can be easily estimated from the flow rate and three geometrical parameters, without the need for any simulation. In the convergent region of these nozzles, it is possible to observe the evolution of the deformation. It is necessary to use a sufficiently long nozzle to produce the maximum deformation before the neck.
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15
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16
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Maremonti MI, Panzetta V, Dannhauser D, Netti PA, Causa F. Wide-range viscoelastic compression forces in microfluidics to probe cell-dependent nuclear structural and mechanobiological responses. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210880. [PMID: 35440204 PMCID: PMC9019521 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell nucleus plays a critical role in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction processes, by adaptive changes of its envelope composition to external biophysical stimuli such as substrate rigidity and tensile forces. Current measurement approaches lack precise control in stress application on nuclei, thus significantly impairing a complete mechanobiological study of cells. Here, we present a contactless microfluidic approach capable to exert a wide range of viscoelastic compression forces (10–103 µN)—as an alternative to adhesion-related techniques—to induce cell-specific mechano-structural and biomolecular changes. We succeed in monitoring substantial nuclear modifications in Lamin A/C expression and coverage, diffusion processes of probing molecules, YAP shuttling, chromatin re-organization and cGAS pathway activation. As a result, high compression forces lead to a nuclear reinforcement (e.g. up to +20% in Lamin A/C coverage) or deconstruction (e.g. down to −45% in Lamin A/C coverage with a 30% reduction of chromatin condensation state parameter) up to cell death. We demonstrate how wide-range compression on suspended cells can be used as a tool to investigate nuclear mechanobiology and to define specific nuclear signatures for cell mechanical phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabella Maremonti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Panzetta
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.,Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - David Dannhauser
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.,Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Filippo Causa
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Federico II', Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
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17
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Zainal Abidin NA, Poon EKW, Szydzik C, Timofeeva M, Akbaridoust F, Brazilek RJ, Tovar Lopez FJ, Ma X, Lav C, Marusic I, Thompson PE, Mitchell A, Ooi ASH, Hamilton JR, Nesbitt WS. An extensional strain sensing mechanosome drives adhesion-independent platelet activation at supraphysiological hemodynamic gradients. BMC Biol 2022; 20:73. [PMID: 35331224 PMCID: PMC8944166 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01274-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Supraphysiological hemodynamics are a recognized driver of platelet activation and thrombosis at high-grade stenosis and in blood contacting circulatory support devices. However, whether platelets mechano-sense hemodynamic parameters directly in free flow (in the absence of adhesion receptor engagement), the specific hemodynamic parameters at play, the precise timing of activation, and the signaling mechanism(s) involved remain poorly elucidated. Results Using a generalized Newtonian computational model in combination with microfluidic models of flow acceleration and quasi-homogenous extensional strain, we demonstrate that platelets directly mechano-sense acute changes in free-flow extensional strain independent of shear strain, platelet amplification loops, von Willebrand factor, and canonical adhesion receptor engagement. We define an extensional strain sensing “mechanosome” in platelets involving cooperative Ca2+ signaling driven by the mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 (as the primary strain sensor) and the fast ATP gated channel P2X1 (as the secondary signal amplifier). We demonstrate that type II PI3 kinase C2α activity (acting as a “clutch”) couples extensional strain to the mechanosome. Conclusions Our findings suggest that platelets are adapted to rapidly respond to supraphysiological extensional strain dynamics, rather than the peak magnitude of imposed wall shear stress. In the context of overall platelet activation and thrombosis, we posit that “extensional strain sensing” acts as a priming mechanism in response to threshold levels of extensional strain allowing platelets to form downstream adhesive interactions more rapidly under the limiting effects of supraphysiological hemodynamics. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01274-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul A Zainal Abidin
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Eric K W Poon
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Crispin Szydzik
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,School of Engineering, RMIT University, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Mariia Timofeeva
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Farzan Akbaridoust
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Rose J Brazilek
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | | | - Xiao Ma
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Chitrarth Lav
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.,CFD Methodology Group, Scuderia AlphaTauri F1, Bicester, OX26 4LD, UK
| | - Ivan Marusic
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Philip E Thompson
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Arnan Mitchell
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Andrew S H Ooi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Justin R Hamilton
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Warwick S Nesbitt
- The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
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18
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Foster KM, Papavassiliou DV, O’Rear EA. Elongational Stresses and Cells. Cells 2021; 10:2352. [PMID: 34572002 PMCID: PMC8471242 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluid forces and their effects on cells have been researched for quite some time, especially in the realm of biology and medicine. Shear forces have been the primary emphasis, often attributed as being the main source of cell deformation/damage in devices like prosthetic heart valves and artificial organs. Less well understood and studied are extensional stresses which are often found in such devices, in bioreactors, and in normal blood circulation. Several microfluidic channels utilizing hyperbolic, abrupt, or tapered constrictions and cross-flow geometries, have been used to isolate the effects of extensional flow. Under such flow cell deformations, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and a variety of other cell types have been examined. Results suggest that extensional stresses cause larger deformation than shear stresses of the same magnitude. This has further implications in assessing cell injury from mechanical forces in artificial organs and bioreactors. The cells' greater sensitivity to extensional stress has found utility in mechanophenotyping devices, which have been successfully used to identify pathologies that affect cell deformability. Further application outside of biology includes disrupting cells for increased food product stability and harvesting macromolecules for biofuel. The effects of extensional stresses on cells remains an area meriting further study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Edgar A. O’Rear
- Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (K.M.F.); (D.V.P.)
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19
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Li Z, Yang X, Zhang Q, Yang W, Zhang H, Liu L, Liang W. Non-invasive acquisition of mechanical properties of cells via passive microfluidic mechanisms: A review. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:031501. [PMID: 34178202 PMCID: PMC8205512 DOI: 10.1063/5.0052185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The demand to understand the mechanical properties of cells from biomedical, bioengineering, and clinical diagnostic fields has given rise to a variety of research studies. In this context, how to use lab-on-a-chip devices to achieve accurate, high-throughput, and non-invasive acquisition of the mechanical properties of cells has become the focus of many studies. Accordingly, we present a comprehensive review of the development of the measurement of mechanical properties of cells using passive microfluidic mechanisms, including constriction channel-based, fluid-induced, and micropipette aspiration-based mechanisms. This review discusses how these mechanisms work to determine the mechanical properties of the cell as well as their advantages and disadvantages. A detailed discussion is also presented on a series of typical applications of these three mechanisms to measure the mechanical properties of cells. At the end of this article, the current challenges and future prospects of these mechanisms are demonstrated, which will help guide researchers who are interested to get into this area of research. Our conclusion is that these passive microfluidic mechanisms will offer more preferences for the development of lab-on-a-chip technologies and hold great potential for advancing biomedical and bioengineering research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghua Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Xieliu Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Wenguang Yang
- School of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Wenfeng Liang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
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20
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Dannhauser D, Maremonti MI, Panzetta V, Rossi D, Netti PA, Causa F. Mechanical phenotyping of breast cell lines by in-flow deformation-dependent dynamics under tuneable compressive forces. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4611-4622. [PMID: 33146642 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00911c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cell mechanical properties are powerful biomarkers for label-free phenotyping. To date, microfluidic approaches assay mechanical properties by measuring changes in cellular shape, applying extensional or shear flows or forcing cells to pass through constrictions. In general, such approaches use high-speed imaging or transit time measurements to evaluate cell deformation, while cell dynamics in-flow after stress imposition have not yet been considered. Here, we present a microfluidic approach to apply, over a wide range, tuneable compressive forces on suspended cells, which result in well distinct signatures of deformation-dependent dynamic motions. By properly conceiving microfluidic chip geometry and rheological fluid properties, we modulate applied single-cell forces, which result in different motion regimes (rolling, tumbling or tank-treating) depending on the investigated cell line. We decided to prove our approach by testing breast cell lines, with well-known mechanical properties. We measured a set of in-flow parameters (orientation angle, aspect ratio, cell deformation and cell diameter) as a backward analysis of cell mechanical response. By such an approach, we report that the highly invasive tumour cells (MDA-MB-231) are much more deformable (6-times higher) than healthy (MCF-10A) and low invasive ones (MCF-7). Thus, we demonstrate that a microfluidic design with tuneable rheological fluid properties and direct analysis of bright-field images can be suitable for the label-free mechanical phenotyping of various cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dannhauser
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Maria Isabella Maremonti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Valeria Panzetta
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
| | - Domenico Rossi
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy. and Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Filippo Causa
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
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