In vitro epithelial models comprising lamina propria-derived cells

US11059041B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EMULATE, INC. · US

Inventors

• S. Jordan Kerns · Reading, US
• Riccardo Barrile · Boston, US
• Geraldine Hamilton · Cambridge, US
• Catherine Karalis · Brookline, US
• Daniel Levner · Brookline, US
• Carolina Lucchesi · Westwood, US
• Antonio Varone · Riverdale, US
• Remi Villenave · Boston, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 17, 2020
• Grant date: Jul 13, 2021
• Expiry date: Sep 17, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N5/0075
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An in vitro microfluidic “organ-on-chip” is described herein that mimics the structure and at least one function of specific areas of the epithelial system in vivo. In particular, a multicellular, layered, microfluidic culture is described, allowing for interactions between lamina propria-derived cells and the associated tissue specific epithelial cells and endothelial cells. This in vitro microfluidic system can be used for modeling inflammatory tissue, e.g., autoimmune disorders involving epithelia and diseases involving epithelial layers. These multicellular, layered microfluidic “organ-on-chip”, e.g. “epithelia-on-chip” further allow for comparisons between types of epithelia tissues, e.g., lung (Lung-On-Chip), bronchial (Airway-On-Chip), skin (Skin-On-Chip), cervix (Cervix-On-Chip), blood brain barrier (BBB-On-Chip), etc., in additional to neurovascular tissue, (Brain-On-Chip), and between different disease states of tissue, i.e. healthy, pre-disease and diseased areas. Additionally, these microfluidic “organ-on-chips” allow identification of cells and cellular derived factors driving disease states in addition to drug testing for reducing inflammation effecting epithelial reg…