MIMICup—A Novel Organ-on-a-Chip System
TheMIMICup Perfusion system integrates instruments, consumables and software, as a novel solution of 3D cell co-culture model in vitro, allowing for an unprecedented understanding of human biology in various organs.
Perfusion plate
Each chip has a two - layer structure with a semi - permeable membrane, 24 upper pluggable culture cups and 6 lower independent flow channels.
When equipped with peristaltic pumps, it enables to offer adjustable shear stress, to mimic the blood flow inside the human body.
Compared to convention models, MIMICup-chips enables researchers to re-build complex microenvironment in vitro and to create a wide variety of modelings from physical metabolism, to disease pathology, to drug safety and efficacy evaluation. .
MIMICup-Portable Module
MIMICup-Portable Module
MIMICup-Portable Module
It houses the chips, culture medium and peristaltic pumps. It also enables the compatibility with lab equipments
MIMICup Control Module
MIMICup-Portable Module
MIMICup-Portable Module
Features and advantages
- Pluggable designs for culture cups is helpful to study the interaction between different types of organoids/cell clusters/tissues
- Culture cups with different pore sizes can be applied to cell barriers models, cell induced differentiation and cell migration.
- Independent control the flow rate in each channel, depending on the experiment needs.
- 3D structures of chips enables the complex co-culture in vertical
- Compatible with lab equipments (i.e. microscope, high-content imager).
- Specific bubble trap design overcomes a point of failure common in other microphysiological systems
Step 1: Model design
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 3: Cell Culture for overnigh
Step 2: Cell seeding on the bottom of cups
Step 3: Cell Culture for overnigh
Step 4: Perfusion System Assembly
Step 4: Perfusion System Assembly
Step 3: Cell Culture for overnigh
Step 5: Perfusion Culture
Step 4: Perfusion System Assembly
Step 6: Observation and Analysis
Step 6: Observation and Analysis
Step 4: Perfusion System Assembly
Step 6: Observation and Analysis
Application Cases
Scenario I：Cell barrier modeling
Fig. 1a Co-Culture model of hepatocytes and endothelicyte
Up-regulated expression of tight junction proteins (Fig.1) show that the barrier function of endotheliocytes/epitheliocytes can be obviously enhanced when stimulated by shear stress.
Fig. 1b Intestinal barrier model of CaCo2
Scenario II：Metabolic function modeling
Fig.2 Human Liver Sinusoid modeling
Liver has two major functions of material synthesis and metobolism . The expression level of albumin is often used to evalute the synthesis capacity of liver while the function of CYP450, as an important enzyme in livers, is often representative of metabolic ability.
Compared to conventional modeling (2D cell culture), the expression level of both albumin and CYP450 were significantly up-regulated (Fig.2).
These results show that the metabolic function of 3D co-culture models in vitro can be ob
Scenario III: Organoids proliferation modeling
Fig.3a Bright field imaging of mouse intestinal organoids
Fig.3b Cell Viability assessment of mouse intestinal organoids
According to CellTiter-Glo (CTG) assessment(Fig.3b), the proliferation rate of mouse intestinal organoids is remarkably improved during perfusion culture comparing to static culture.
Meanwhile, Mucin2 as an important mucin protein usually found in human gut is observed higher expression within MIMICup perfusion culture, implying better viability of organoids.
Fig.3c Immunofluorescence staining of mouse intestinal organoids
Scenario IV: Model of stem cells differentiation induced by exosome
Fig.4a side-view of modeling on MIMICup
The exosome entering circulatory system performs better efficiency to induce the defferetiation of stem cells culturing in the insert by transporting through the semi-permeable membrane during the perfusion.
Comparing to static group, the perfusion group is observed shorter period of induced differentiation which refers sooner differentiation of stem cells by perfusion culture.
