This organ-on-a-chip with a central chamber and flanked microchannels allows to create an air-liquid interface model mimicking the lung architecture. The microfluidic chip can be functionalized with lung epithelial cells surrounded by a vasculature made of endothelial cells to recreate the typical in vivo Air-Liquid Interface.
General
SynALI starter kit from SynVivo is a new air-liquid interface model (Air Liquid Interface Microfabricated Porous Structures Ciliated Airway Cells - ALI) imitating the architecture of the lungs. The microfluidic device is optically clear, and functionalized with epithelial cells surrounded by a vascular system composed of endothelial cells. This structure maintains an air-fluid (ALI) through the cells of the airways, allowing the formation of respiratory tubules that transport mucus: this is the phenomenon of mucociliary clearance.
Many parameters can be observed and quantified in real-time with this totally innovative device, such as the morphology of the cells, the structure of the airways, the interactions between cells, and the different functions of the airways (mucus transport, ciliary beating), and the therapeutic improvement induced.
- Realistic airway structure and environment
- In vivo hemodynamic shear stress
- Real-time visualization of cellular and barrier functionality including mucus, ciliary beating, immune cell interactions, and therapeutic screening
- Robust and easy-to-use protocols
To order only the chip, check our dedicated product page (ref SY-108011).
Examples of models developed using SynALI
Small airway lung model - Co-culture with human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) and lung microvascular endothelial cells.
Alveolar lung model with human microvascular lung endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial type I and II cells.
Content
12x SynALI chips -IMN2 linear (3 µm slits)
1x Pneumatic priming device (required for priming tubing to remove air)
1x Manifold (allows for multiple devices)
1x Tygon Tubing .02"ID X .06"OD (100 ft)
25x Slide Clamps
50x Blunt Tip Needles
50x 1mL Syringes with Luer-Lok® Tip
This kit does not include the air pump needed to establish the air-liquid interface.
Specifications
| Chip size |
75 mm x 25 mm |
| Outer channels width |
200 µm |
| Central channel width |
500 µm |
| Channel height |
100 µm |
| Travel width |
50 µm |
| Pore size |
3 µm |
Applications
The Airway model can be created with a co-culture of endothelial and epithelial cells and an Alveolar tri-culture model with endothelial, epithelial and fibroblasts is possible as well.
Air Liquid Interface model technical manual
These co-culture protocols have been developed to establish true vascular monolayers in communication with the 3D lung tissue. Human cells grown in these chips retain a biological phenotype similar to that found in real tissue. Leading researchers have validated that cells grown in these chips more accurately reflect the cell behavior found in vivo compared to cells grown using conventional culture techniques.
Unlike well-plate tests performed under static conditions, these chips reproduce the realistic dynamic conditions for the assessment of cell-drug and cell-cell interactions thereby providing an accurate in vitro platform to study and elucidate the mechanisms of success and failure. Compared to in vivo animal studies, they allow real-time visualization and analysis of the assay in a controlled environment.
Epithelial and Endothelial Co-Culture in Microfluidic Chip. (a) and (b) Phase Contrast image of the confluent co-cultured chip with epithelial cells in the center channel and endothelial cells lining the peripheral channels. (c) Phase Contrast of top and bottom of the channel showing confluent monolayers in tissue and vascular channel. These images show the confluence of cells on both the top and bottom of the center channel and one side channel with a central, clear lumen. (d) Cross-sectional, 3-D reconstructed confocal image of co-cultured chip showing lumen formation in all three channels (10X mag.). Taken from Liu et al 2019.
Documentation
?SynALI technical manual
?SynVivo brochure
?SynVivo starter kit brochure
Liu, Z., Mackay, S., Gordon, D. M., Anderson, J. D., Haithcock, D. W., Garson, C. J., ... & Guimbellot, J. S. (2019). Co-cultured microfluidic model of the airway optimized for microscopy and micro-optical coherence tomography imaging. Biomedical Optics Express, 10(10), 5414-5430. https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.10.005414
