AN EX VIVO HUMAN MULTIPLE MYELOMA CANCER NICHE AND ITS USE AS A MODEL FOR MULTIPLE MYELOMA

摘要

The described invention provides an ex vivo dynamic multiple myeloma (MM) cancer niche contained in a microfluidic device. The dynamic MM cancer niche includes (a) a three-dimensional tissue construct containing a dynamic ex vivo bone marrow (BM) niche, which contains a mineralized bone-like tissue containing viable osteoblasts self-organized into cohesive multiple cell layers and an extracellular matrix secreted by the viable adherent osteoblasts; and a microenvironment dynamically perfused by nutrients and dissolved gas molecules; and (b) human myeloma cells seeded from a biospecimen composition comprising mononuclear cells and the multiple myeloma cells. The human myeloma cells are in contact with osteoblasts of the BM niche, and the viability of the human myeloma cells is maintained by the MM cancer niche.