Fabrication and development of a blood-brain barrier microfluidic chip to mimic the brain vasculature

This thesis demonstrates fabrication and development of a microfluidic model of blood-brain barrier (BBB). This kind of microphysiological system or organ-on-chip exhibits a physical and biochemical microenvironment similar to in vivo. The BBB model with Cayley-tree geometry fabricated using Hele-Shaw cell has heterogeneous shear stress within a singular system. Heterogeneous shear stress contributes to the formation and maintenance of the barrier. Transcytosis of a model drug across the barrier and mimicking neuroinflammation under dynamic conditions validates the use of this BBB model for drug testing and disease modelling, respectively. This BBB model has potential for replacing the use of animals.