Automated microfluidic platform of electrochemical immunosensor integrated with bioreactor for continual monitoring of mesenchymal stem cell secreted biomarkers

In this project it has been fabricated a three-dimentional dynamic cyclic compression bioreactor in which hMSCs are cultured in 3D gelatin-methacrylate hydrogels to evaluate the influence of mechanical stimuli and biophysical factors on MSC differentiation and secretion using eletrochemical biosensing integrated to bioreactor. As a specific biomarker for in vitro study, a represetative molecules promoting angiogenesis has been selected, since it has been found to be elevated during osteogenesis where mechanical stimuli and physical factor play an important role in the fate decision. Mechanical stimuli have been applied to cell-laden hydrogels with tunable stiffness to promote secretion of proangiogenic factors from hMSCs. Yes-associated protein (YAP) as mechanotransduction in regulating stem cell fate decisions will be also employed to understand the mechanism behind how proangiogenic signaling of hMSCs can be regulated by these factors.This work will prove useful in the design of tailored model system that more efficiently direct proangiogenic signaling from hMSCs.