Biography
Abstract
The muscle spindle and its associated sensory neurons form the afferent sensorimotor circuit of motor function. In order to better understand the physiology of this circuit so as to use it to address its relevant diseases; this study aims to establish an in vitro model of this spindle-sensory unit by integrating the cells comprising this system with microelectromechanical (MEMS) technology. A defined cell culture system has been developed to support the in vitro differentiation of human intrafusal muscle fibers (muscle fibers inside the muscle spindle) and human proprioceptive sensory neurons as well as their connections. A BioMEMS chip has been designed and fabricated to allow for the integration and functional analysis of this biological system. Intrafusal muscle fibers have been grown and activated by controlled stretching of the cantilever sensor. This non-invasive test bed will allow for controlled and long-term monitoring, interrogation and high control analysis of the sensorimotor unit of the human neuromuscular reflex arc. It could have use for applications not only for emulation of human health and disease, but also for the construction of relevant robotic systems.
Biography
Abstract
Biological micro electromechanical systems (bio-MEMS) have been engineered to replicate animal and human tissue in order to develop body-on-a-chip systems. These models are beneficial for drug development by allowing a non-invasive acquisition of cellular electrophysiological response as well as reducing ethical concerns found in traditional animal and human trials. As these systems become smaller and more intricate, the accurate positioning of droplets containing biological components onto bio-MEMS becomes more difficult. The use of a cellular bioprinter allows the user to quickly deposit micro droplets with high precision. Multiple cell types are also easily printed onto a single microchip enabling integrated cell studies. We have optimized the printing process to reliably print skeletal muscle and neurons onto silicon-based bio-MEMS for the development of in vitro tissue platforms to study various physiological disorders.