Sensor integration in a brain blood barrier on a chip

Mònica Mir

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of cognitive capacity and memory. AD is mainly associated to the ac­cumulation of toxic aggregates of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) in the brain which produce oxidative stress and neuro­toxicity [1]. In the last years, multiple efforts have been performed in order to develop new molecules for AD’s treatment based on the disaggregation of Aβ cumulates [2]. However, most of them do not reach the action site due the strict permeability in the brain by the blood brain barrier (BBB). It is very relevant for drug testing in AD and other neuro­degenerative diseases to have a platform that can mimic the permeability of BBB in healthy people and AD pa­tients where the BBB permeability is increasing along the diseases [3]. The present study investigated an animal free technology of permeability BBB tuning and sensing integrated in a BBB-on-a-chip. Two microfluidic channels interconnect­ed through closely fabricated stacks to recreate barriers will be cell cultured in one channel with pericytes and astrocytes and another channel with endothelial cells to construct the BBB. The microfluidic chip is fabricated with integrated electrodes for Transepithelial /transendo­thelial electrical resistance measurements to monitor the permeability of the fabricated BBB and with electrodes under the barrier to tune the permeability. This platform is an excellent platform to study neurodegenerative dis­eases and drug testing.