1 research outputs found
Microfluidic Chip with Integrated Electrophoretic Immunoassay for Investigating Cell–Cell Interactions
Microfluidics
have been used to create “body-on-chip”
systems to mimic in vivo cellular interactions with a high level of
control. Most such systems rely on optical observation of cells as
a readout. In this work we integrated a cell–cell interaction
chip with online microchip electrophoresis immunoassay to monitor
the effects of the interaction on protein secretion dynamics. The
system was used to investigate the effects of adipocytes on insulin
secretion. Chips were loaded with 190 000 3T3-L1 adipocytes
and a single islet of Langerhans in separate chambers. The chambers
were perfused at 300–600 nL/min so that adipocyte secretions
flowed over the islets for 3 h. Adipocytes produced 80 ÎĽM of
nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs), a factor known to impact insulin
secretion, at the islets. After perfusion, islets were challenged
with a step change in glucose from 3 to 11 mM while monitoring insulin
secretion at 8 s intervals by online immunoassay. Adipocyte treatment
augmented insulin secretion by 6-fold compared to controls. The effect
was far greater than comparable concentrations of NEFA applied to
the islets demonstrating that adipocytes release multiple factors
that can strongly potentiate insulin secretion. The experiments reveal
that integration of chemical analysis with cell–cell interaction
can provide valuable insights into cellular functions