Development of a Microfluidic Chip to Simulate Ischemic Stroke with Hydrogel Scaffolds

Introduction Age‐related brain disorders pose a threat to the geriatric community. Improving tools for clinical studies can aid in the overall outcome of ischemic strokes (IS). IS is a type of cerebrovascular disorder that is the 2 nd leading cause of both death and disability worldwide. Considering the National Institutes of Health's reduced funding for animal models, in vitro platforms can be a strong support for novel interventions. Materials and Methods The development of the microfluidic chip started with its design using CAD software, followed by fabrication through 3D printing. Parallel efforts are dedicated to the development of the hydrogel scaffold for which the microfluidic chip is being specifically engineered. After multiple tests to determine material type and concentration, an alginate‐gelatin hydrogel was selected due to its mechanical strength and cell adhesion properties. Integration of the scaffold into the microfluidic chip will then allow for cell culturing to be carried out. After this step, flow can be initiated with the use of a perfusion bioreactor. This will allow for the simulation of an IS on a human neurovascular unit of the brain. Results Multiple CAD drawings were designed and printed, but currently, no chip has been selected. Further testing will be done to determine the best overall design for the chip. Next, the hydrogel testing resulted in a composition of 1% Alginate with 5% Gelatin used with a ratio of 40/60. It was also determined that freezing the hydrogel for 15 hours prior to crosslinking in a 1.5% concentration of calcium chloride bath resulted in significantly improved structural integrity. Conclusion Our next steps include chip redesign and fabrication, as well as creating the channels for cell culture in the hydrogel.