A microfluidic device is provided that incorporates a highly organized co-culture of live cells within a microengineered platform, by which the architecture and cellular constituents of an organ or other native tissue environment may be modeled over a long period of culture for biological and/or pharmacological studies. Vertical posts (e.g., microposts) may be used to induce alignment of hydrogel-encapsulated tissues in a cell suspension region of a microfluidic device. Such a device can complement animal studies in recapitulating pathophysiological characteristics of disease. When populated with cardiac cells, such a device provides a three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic human cardiac tissue model that enables the study of pathophysiological events involved in the transition of healthy to diseased cardiac tissue, to better inform therapeutic strategies and functional outcomes in cardiac-based therapies. Other types of cells may be used in certain embodiments. Methods of fabricating and using such microfluidic devices are also provided.

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 regions.

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 regions.

Provided herein is a see-through transparent, stable, safe and (bio)degradable hydrogel-based particulate support medium, made of calcium alginate particles. The calcium alginate particles, or hybrid hydrogel particles, are characterized by a substantially homogeneous average particle size that ranges from 0.1 micrometer to 5 micrometer.

The present disclosure relates to emulsions, methods of preparation thereof, and uses of said emulsions to fabricate porous polymeric microspheres as microcarriers for cell culture. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an emulsion with enhanced stability, characterized in that the emulsion comprises a) a water phase, the water phase is an aqueous solution comprising a salt; and b) an oil phase, the oil phase comprising a polymer; wherein the oil phase is immiscible with the water phase, and wherein the density differential of the water phase and oil phase is less than about 0.02 g/cm3. In a preferred embodiment, the polymer is polycaprolactone (PCL).

A method of making a cell culture article is provided. The method includes forming a microcarrier from a microcarrier composition comprising a polygalacturonic acid compound or an alginic acid compound, infiltrating the microcarrier with a drying formulation to form an infiltrated microcarrier, and drying the infiltrated microcarrier to form a dried microcarrier, wherein the drying formulation comprises at least one of a saccharide and a monovalent cation.

A cell separation device configured for separating cells from microcarriers or spheroids in a liquid is provided. The cell separation device includes a vessel comprising a first port, a second port, and a cavity; and a porous mesh disposed within the cavity to divide the cavity into a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first port is in communication with the first compartment of the cavity, the first port located to a first side of the porous mesh, wherein the second port is in communication with the second compartment of the cavity, the second port located to a second side of the porous mesh, and wherein the porous mesh is positioned within the cavity to have a substantially vertical orientation or an inclined orientation with respect to a flow of liquid through the porous mesh.

Provided herein are methods of culturing cells using microcarriers that include extracellular matrix (ECM).

A method of generating cells of the T cell lineage is provided comprising (a) culturing a sample comprising stem cells or progenitor cells with a Notch ligand conjugated to a suspension support and (b) isolating cells of the T cell lineage. In one embodiment, the cells of the T-cell lineage are progenitor T cells or mature T cells. Compositions, kits and uses thereof are also provided.

A cell culturing device and method of using same are provided. Embodiments of the cell culturing device include a plate having at least one well with a through-hole formed at a bottom wall thereof and a hydrogel matrix disposed in the through hole. The cell culturing device can also include an optically transparent plate at the bottom of the through-hole.