University of Twente Student Theses
Endometrium-on-a-chip : a more Biologically Accurate model of the Endometrium with the Addition of a Vascular Compartment and a Collagen Type I Membrane
Boer, Femke den (2023) Endometrium-on-a-chip : a more Biologically Accurate model of the Endometrium with the Addition of a Vascular Compartment and a Collagen Type I Membrane.
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| Abstract: | The endometrium is a dynamic organ, undergoing major structural, cellular and vascular changes during the 28-day menstrual cycle. The endometrium is the inner layer of the uterus wall, responsible for the implantation of an embryo during pregnancy. The endometrium, and the rest of the female reproductive tract, are difficult to study in vivo because of ethical considerations. So, there is a high need for a healthy model of the endometrium. Previously used animal models do not suffice, because they differ greatly from humans regarding reproduction. The AMBER research group made a vertical oviduct-on-a-chip containing an epithelium in the top chamber. The bottom vascular chamber, containing no cells, was separated by a synthetic polycarbonate membrane. A similar architecture was used for the endometrium-on-a-chip, however it was improved with the addition of an endothelium in the vascular compartment and a collagen type I membrane. HUVECs were used to create endothelium in the vascular compartment. In this work, three different substrates were compared for the culture of endothelial cells, namely a collagen coated polycarbonate membrane, a collagen type I membrane and gelatin coated polystyrene. HUVECs were successfully cultured on all three substrates until day 2. The collagen type I membrane was characterised after hydration: it had a constant thickness and diameter. The rigidness of the membrane significantly decreases after hydration. So, for its implementation into a microfluidic chip, the focus was on creating a strong attachment between the microfluidic device and the membrane. The so-far explored attachment methods lead to significant leakage, so the method of attaching the membrane to the chip needs to be researched and developed further. The effect of the membrane on the HUVECs and the attachment method to the microfluidic device needs to be studied further, however they are very promising for improving the endometrium-on-a-chip. The endometrium-on-a-chip will be a useful tool for studying diseases related to the endometrium, the effect of microplastics on reproductive health and studying pregnancy and early maternal-embryo interactions. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Programme: | Biomedical Technology BSc (56226) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/103482 |
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