Atherofluidics-on-chip
US10598166B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 9, 2016 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 2, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16K2099/0084
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Endothelial cells can become susceptible to disease when subjected to disturbed (atheroprone) blood flow patterns, which naturally occur in known locations in human arteries. Atheroprone flow is non-laminar, with low fluid shear stress magnitude and an oscillatory pattern representative in the temporal signature. At a macro-scale, atheroprone flow is multidirectional and chaotic. On the other hand, atheroprotective flow is laminar with high fluid shear stresses that have a specific temporal signature. Therefore, understanding the interplay between the atheroprotective and atheroprone hemodynamics and endothelial function is important. The invention relates, in some embodiments, to microfluidic devices and methods that dynamically apply controlled and physiologically relevant spatio-temporal atheroprone and atheroprotective flow signatures. Further, some embodiments according to the invention recreate these flow profiles upon different regions of the same cell culture, more closely resembling the in-vivo phenomenon.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.