Microfluidic pancreas model for cancer research
2021
Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
The development of pancreatic cancer is closely related to the pathological differentiation of the acinus cells, for which a mutation of the PTF1a gene is considered to be the cause. To compare healthy and diseased pancreatic tissue in vitro, a microfluidic pancreatic acinus-on-chip (PAC) model is introduced. The precise modelling of the micro-cavities was carried out using a newly developed viscous-fingering technique. Cancer cells with inactivated PTF1a genes were introduced into the model's acinus cell chamber, which had previously been genetically modified in the laboratory so that the antibiotic doxycycline induces reactivation of the genes. Cellular changes, cell-matrix interaction, local invasion and endocrine functions of healthy and gene-induced tissue were compared and evaluated by means of bioinformatic analysis. The researchers were able to observe that the cancer cells transformed back to their healthy state during gene activation. In parallel, an increase in the digestive enzyme trypsinogen was noted. Based on the results of the present study, the research group evaluates the PAC model as a valid method for further research on pancreatic tissue in vitro. Besides the model could be helpful for improved drug development and the development of new gene therapies.
Engineering of a functional pancreatic acinus with reprogrammed cancer cells by induced PTF1a expression
Bumsoo Han
Added on: 08-04-2022
[1] https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/lc/d1lc00350j[2] https://www.bionity.com/en/news/1172979/scientists-reverse-pancreatic-cancer-progression-in-time-machine-made-of-human-cells.html
