Circulating leukocytes must adhere to the endothelial cells (EC) that form the lining of blood vessels, and migrate through them to carry out their protective immune functions. During inflammation this recruitment is typically controlled by cytokines released from tissue that act on the EC. The endothelial cells respond by increasing the expression of adhesion molecules on their surface (to capture flowing leukocytes), and also by presenting chemotactic agents (to induce the captured cells to migrate). This recruitment process is influenced by the local haemodynamic milieu in several ways: interactions with red cells modify the distribution of leukocytes in the blood stream; flow velocity and shear stress influence the formation and breakage of adhesive bonds; flow forces act on EC and modify their responses to inflammmatory cytokines. Microchannels have been widely used to study these processes, especially the specific receptors required for capture of isolated flowing leukocytes and their ability to support adhesion as a function of fluid shear stress. We developed a versatile system based on pre-fabricated glass capillaries with rectangular cross-section (microslides) in which we cultured EC, and which could also be coated with purified adhesion receptors for reductive studies. We also developed fluoresence-microscope-based systems for using these microslides to observe adhesion in flowing whole blood, and multiple parallel cultures for studying the effects of conditioning the EC by growth at different levels of shear stress before investigations. The microslides are available in various dimensions, and smaller versions can be used to generate high circulatory stresses when small volumes of materials (such as blood from genetically modified mice) are available. With these systems, we have for instance, been able to show how varying the concentration and aggregability of red blood cells alters leukocyte adhesion, and how expression levels of endothelial genes which underly inflammatory responses are modified by culture at a range of shear stresses mimicking different regions of the circulation.
Skip Nav Destination
ASME 4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels
June 19–21, 2006
Limerick, Ireland
Conference Sponsors:
- Nanotechnology Institute
ISBN:
0-7918-4760-8
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Studying Inflammatory Responses of Endothelial Cells and Leukocytes in Perfused Microchannels Available to Purchase
Gerard B. Nash
Gerard B. Nash
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
Gerard B. Nash
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Paper No:
ICNMM2006-96013, pp. 1205-1210; 6 pages
Published Online:
September 15, 2008
Citation
Nash, GB. "Studying Inflammatory Responses of Endothelial Cells and Leukocytes in Perfused Microchannels." Proceedings of the ASME 4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels. ASME 4th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, Parts A and B. Limerick, Ireland. June 19–21, 2006. pp. 1205-1210. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICNMM2006-96013
Download citation file:
6
Views
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Articles
Elementary Mechanics of the Endothelium of Blood Vessels
J Biomech Eng (February,1993)
Influence of Cell Deformation on Leukocyte Rolling Adhesion in Shear Flow
J Biomech Eng (December,1999)
A Fluid–Structure Interaction Model of the Left Coronary Artery
J Biomech Eng (December,2018)
Related Chapters
Introduction
Mechanical Blood Trauma in Circulatory-Assist Devices
Clinical issues and experience
Mechanical Blood Trauma in Circulatory-Assist Devices
Introduction
Design of Mechanical Bearings in Cardiac Assist Devices