University of Twente

We present two processes for the microfabrication of porous polymer chips for three-dimensional cell cultivation. The first one is hot embossing combined with a solvent vapour welding process. The second one uses a recently developed microthermoforming process combined with ion track technology leading to a significant simplification of manufacture.

Procedures are outlined to prepare segmented and coaxial nanowires via templated electrodeposition in nanopores. As examples, segmented nanowires consisting of Ag and ZnO segments, and coaxial nanowires consisting of a TiO₂ shell and a Ag core were made. The nanowires were used in photocatalytic hydrogen formation experiments.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is combined with an intrinsic flow-through dissolution setup to allow in situ and real-time visualization of the surface of pharmaceutical tablets undergoing dissolution. Using this custom-built setup, it is possible to correlate CARS videos with drug dissolution profiles recorded using inline UV absorption spectroscopy.

Various procedures are outlined to prepare atomically defined templates for epitaxial growth of complex oxide thin films. Chemical treatments of single crystalline SrTiO₃ (001) and DyScO₃ (110) substrates were performed to obtain atomically smooth, single terminated surfaces. Ca₂ Nb₃ O₁₀^- nanosheets were used to create atomically defined templates on arbitrary substrates.

The methodology to perform friction force microscopy experiments for contacting brushes is presented: Two polymer brushes that are grafted from (a) substrates and (b) colloidal probes are slid to show that, by using two contacting immiscible brush systems, friction in sliding contacts is reduced compared to miscible brush systems.

Dynamic measurement of chloride ions is presented. Transition time of an Ag/AgCl electrode, during a chronopotentiometric technique, can give the concentration of chloride ions in electrolyte. This method does not require a stable conventional reference electrode.

Electrophysiological characterization of cardiomyocytes derived from human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSC-CMs) is crucial for cardiac disease modeling and for determining drug responses. This protocol provides the necessary information to dissociate and plate hPSC-CMs on multi-electrode arrays, measure their field potential, and a method for analyzing QT and RR intervals.

This publication describes the fabrication of an organ-on-chip device with integrated electrodes for direct quantification of transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER). For validation, the blood-brain barrier was mimicked inside this microfluidic device and its barrier function was monitored. The presented methods for electrode integration and direct TEER quantification are generally applicable.

The present study describes a zebrafish embryo model for in vivo visualization and intravital analysis of biomaterial-associated infection over time based on fluorescence microscopy. This model is a promising system complementing mammalian animal models such as mouse models for studying biomaterial-associated infections in vivo.

This step-by-step protocol provides a detailed description of the experimental setup and data analysis for the assessment of inflammatory responses in hiPSC-ECs and the analysis of leukocyte adhesion under physiological flow.

The protocol describes the settings and use of a capillary aerosol generator for continuous production of controlled aerosol from a multispecies liquid solution, suitable for steady large-volume aerosol delivery (e.g., in vivo inhalation studies).

We present an in vitro vascular disease model to investigate whole blood interactions with patient-derived endothelium. This system allows the study of thrombogenic properties of primary endothelial cells under various circumstances. The method is especially suited to evaluate in situ thrombogenicity and anticoagulation therapy during different phases of coagulation.

The presented protocols can be used to characterize the response of fluorescently-labeled microbubbles designed for ultrasound-triggered drug delivery applications, including their activation mechanisms as well as their bioeffects. This paper covers a range of in vitro and in vivo microscopy techniques performed to capture the relevant length and timescales.

This paper describes how three different water vortex regimes in a hyperbolic Schauberger funnel can be created, their most important characteristics, and how associated parameters such as the oxygen transfer rates can be calculated.

The present protocol provides a step-by-step procedure for the reproducible generation, maintenance, and aging of cerebral organoids derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This method enables culturing and maturing cerebral organoids for extended periods, which facilitates the modeling of processes involved in brain aging and age-related pathogenesis.

Described here is a stepwise method of combining Fiber Optic RealShape technology and intravascular ultrasound to show the potential of merging both techniques, in view of the reduction of radiation exposure and improvement of navigation tasks and treatment success during an endovascular procedure for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease.