A CELL CULTURING PLATFORM, A CELL CULTURE SYSTEM, AND A METHOD FOR MODELING A NEUROVASCULAR UNIT IN VITRO

摘要

A cell culturing platform for modeling a neurovascular unit in vitro comprises at least one first cell compartment (102a) for containing somas of neuronal cells, a second cell compartment (103) for containing astrocytic cells and being adjacent to the first cell compartment, and a third cell compartment (104) for containing endothelial cells and being adjacent to the second cell compartment. The cell compartments are connected to each other with channels which inhibit somas of the cells from moving between the cell compartments but allow cell processes of the neuronal cells to enter the second cell compartment so as to form contacts with the astrocytic cells, and cell processes of the astrocytic cells to enter the third cell compartment to form contacts with the endothelial cells. As there are separate compartments for different cell types, it is possible to monitor an insult caused damage propagation mimicking a situation in vivo.