SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCREENING PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMICALS

• US 20090068701A1
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Original Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Inventors: McConnaughey, William B., Elson, Elliot, Wakatsuki, Tetsuro
• Granted Patent: US 8,071,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0005 Repeated or cyclic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0016 Tensile or compressive
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0073 Fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0282 Two dimensional, e.g. tapes, webs, sheets, strips, disks or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/38 generated by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5008 for testing or evaluating the effect of chemical or biological compounds, e.g. drugs, cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/502 for testing non-proliferative effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5044 involving specific cell types
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5061 Muscle cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5064 Endothelial cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5088 of vertebrates

Abstract

A method for obtaining a response of a tissue model system to an activator includes contacting a bio-artificial tissue model system with an activator and measuring cellular mechanical response thereto of at least one of contractile force and tissue stiffness. A method for obtaining a response of a tissue model system to an activator includes contacting a bio-artificial tissue model system with an activator and measuring cellular mechanical response thereto of at least one of contractile force and hysteresis.

Claims

1. A bio-artificial tissue comprising cells and extracellular matrix, the bio-artificial tissue formed on a scaffold support, the scaffold support being positioned above the bottom of a well.

2. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the bio-artificial tissue is suspended on the scaffold support without a fastener to facilitate tissue adhesion.

3. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the cells are selected from the group consisting of a muscle cell, a non-muscle cell, an endothelial cell, and a cardiac cell.

4. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the well is positioned within a multi-well plate.

5. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 4, wherein the multi-well plate comprises from 2 to 10,000 wells.

6. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the scaffold support is a wire frame.

7. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 6, wherein the wire is stainless steel wire.

8. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the scaffold support is triangular, rectangular or circular in shape.

9. The bio-artificial tissue of claim 1, wherein the cells comprise cells known to be involved in a disease.

10. An apparatus for culturing a bio-artificial tissue, comprising:

at least one well containing a scaffold support upon which the bio-artificial tissue can form, wherein the bio-artificial tissue can be suspended above the bottom of the well.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the well is in a multi-well plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the multi-well plate comprises from 2 to 10,000 wells.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scaffold support includes at least one surface supported above the bottom of the well.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the surface is about 1.0 mm above the bottom of the well.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scaffold support is tubular.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scaffold support is rectangular, circular or triangular.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scaffold support includes two parallel, spaced apart surfaces.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the bio-artificial tissue can form on the scaffold support without a fastener to facilitate tissue adhesion.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scaffold support is a wire frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wire is stainless steel wire.