Design of an In Vitro Migration Chamber for Quantifying the Homing Patterns of Parasitic Worms

Lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic disease often resulting in severe lymphatic dysfunction and lymphedema, is perpetuated by an invasion of worms, delivered through mosquito bites, that reside, mature, and reproduce in the human lymphatic system. The disease cycle begins with stage 3 larvae (L3) leaving the mosquito and penetrating the dermal layer of the human while the mosquito is feeding where it eventually makes its way to a collecting lymphatic vessel where it resides for its adult life (up to 10 years) [1]. While many infected individuals will remain asymptomatic, a subset of patients will develop reconstruction of the tissue structure and the extreme swelling of the arms, legs, genitals and/or breasts. This elephantiasis occurs in over 10 million people worldwide and has a harsh negative effect on the infected individual’s ability to work and function in society.