I-Corps: Microfluidic chamber for ex-vivo tissue electrophysiology

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种生命科学研究工具，旨在改进体外视网膜电描记术。视网膜电信号(ERG)是一种全场电生理技术，它测量各种视网膜组织中的光诱发活动。这项技术用于概述视网膜的健康和生存能力，并可与药物、干细胞和移植结合使用。然而，目前可用的装置由于在封闭的腔室中形成气泡而失效。这些气泡会阻碍组织和电极之间的路径。建议的装置消除了气泡粘连的一个常见来源，并可能减少实验浪费。此外，所提出的装置可以用于不同形状和大小的组织，包括老鼠、兔子、斑马鱼和人类组织。该设备可以提高视网膜电生理学数据的质量和可靠性，支持对视网膜疾病的理解和潜在治疗方面的进步，并为视觉研究工具包提供有价值的补充。这个i-Corps项目是基于一种设备的开发，该设备旨在改进解剖的生物组织的体外视网膜电描记术。视杆感受器和视锥感受器在光的存在下会超极化，并可通过视网膜电信号(ERG)进行实验检测。ERGS可以使用体外配置进行，其中视网膜被隔离，并且以高信噪比记录经视网膜的光电压。所提出的装置设计在灌流端口和组织腔之间的连接处增加了锥形，并消除了由于气泡粘连而导致的常见故障来源。对该设备的测试表明，实验失败率从每5次实验中有1次降低到每20次实验中就有1次。此外，该设备的初始测试允许记录小至5微伏的信号。建议的设备可以增强视网膜电生理学研究的实用性和效率，同时支持各种实验设置，增强其在一系列视觉研究研究中的潜在有用性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a life science research tool designed to improve ex-vivo electroretinography. The electroretinogram (ERG) is a full field electrophysiological technique that measures light-evoked activity in a variety of retinal tissues. This technique is used to give an overview of retinal health and viability, and can be used in conjunction with pharmaceuticals, stem cells, and transplantation. Currently available devices, however, fail due to the formation of bubbles in the enclosed chamber. These bubbles can impede the path between the tissue and electrodes. The proposed device eliminates a common source of bubble adhesion and may reduce experimental waste. In addition, the proposed device may be used with tissues of different shapes and sizes including mouse, rabbit, zebrafish and human tissue. The proposed device may improve the quality and reliability of data in retinal electrophysiology, supporting advancements in the understanding and potential treatment of retinal diseases and provide a valuable addition to the toolkit of vision research. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a device designed to improve ex-vivo electroretinography in dissected biological tissue. Rod and cone photoreceptors hyperpolarize in the presence of light and are experimentally detectable using electroretinograms (ERGs). ERGs may be performed using an ex vivo configuration, where retinas are isolated and transretinal photovoltages are recorded at high signal-to-noise ratios. The proposed device design adds a taper to the junction between the perfusion port and the tissue chamber and eliminates a common source of failure due to bubble adhesion. Tests of the device showed a reduced experimental failure rate from 1 out of every 5 experiments to 1 out of every 20. In addition, initial testing of this device allowed recording signals as small as 5 microvolts. The proposed device may enhance the practicality and efficiency of retinal electrophysiology research while supporting a variety of experimental setups, enhancing its potential usefulness across a range of vision research studies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.