the effects of microfluidic shear stress on endothelial differentiation of amniotic fluid stem cells
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
Tsai, Po-Chun
Abstract
Stem cell therapies for cardiovascular diseases are of great growing interest. Micro-electro-mechanism-system (MEMS) fabricated chips provide more in vivo like cell-to-cell distance and culturing volume than that in centimetre-scaled experiments. In this thesis, we are able to accelerate the process of endothelial differentiation of human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) by the stimulation of fluidic shear stress in a MEMS-fabricated micro device.
Cells aligning to flow directions is a known property of endothelial cells. hAFSCs affected by 12 dyne/cm2 of shear stress were compiled statistics for the arrangement angles toward the flow direction in a 24-hour period. The angular distribution of cells after 3 hours of stress stimulation approaches to that of cells after 24 hours, indicating similar degrees of endothelial differentiation. Both cell samples stimulated by 12 dyne/cm2 stress after 3 hours and 24 hours exhibit protein expressions of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) and von Willebrand Factor (vWF). Over ten folds of gene expressions in PECAM-1, vWF and vascular endothelial growth factor-2 receptor (VEGFR) appeared after 3 hours stimulation. Uptakes of ac-LDL and formation of tube-like structure on Matrigel were also observed after shear stress stimulation. Cells stimulated by 12dyne/cm2 shear stress have higher degrees of differentiation than those stimulated by 3, 6, and 18 dyne/cm2 shear stress.
Utilizing 3 hours to achieve differentiation instead of days in macro-scale experiments, this micro fluidic system has been proved successful for a rapid shear stress stimulation of hAFSCs differentiation into endothelial cells. This research shows its great potential in stem cell therapy and cardiovascular disease studies.
Subjects
stem cell
micro fluidics
endothelial cells
SDGs
Type
thesis
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