Lymph node subcapsular sinus microenvironment-on-a-chip modeling shear flow relevant to lymphatic metastasis and immune cell homing

Summary A lymph node sinus-on-a-chip adhesion microfluidic platform that recapitulates the hydrodynamic microenvironment of the lymph node subcapsular sinus was engineered. This device was used to interrogate the effects of lymph node remodeling on cellular adhesion in fluid flow relevant to lymphatic metastasis. Wall shear stress levels analytically estimated and modelled after quiescent and diseased/inflamed lymph nodes were experimentally recapitulated using a flow-based microfluidic perfusion system to assess the effects of physiological flow fields on human metastatic cancer cell adhesion. Results suggest that both altered fluid flow profiles and presentation of adhesive ligands, which are predicted to manifest within the lymph node subcapsular sinus as a result of inflammation-induced remodeling, and the presence of lymph-borne monocytic cells may synergistically contribute to the dynamic extent of cell adhesion in flow relevant to lymph node invasion by cancer and monocytic immune cells during lymphatic metastasis.