Epithelial cell membranes feature little protrusions called microvilli that increase surface area, and they are involved in absorption, secretion, and other exchange functions, and behave like little sensors that monitor nearby fluids. These microvilli remain mysterious in many ways because they’re so hard to study, but researchers at the University of Tokyo have now built a microfluidic device that replicates the functionality of the placental barrier that normally undergoes a great deal of stress from fluid motion.
From U of Tokyo:
The research group of Professor S. Takeuchi and (then) Dr. S. Miura at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science observed that application of fluid flow shear force to placental barrier cells results in the formation of characteristic microvilli on placental epithelial cells and additionally discovered that the glucose transport rate of the protein GLUT1 localized to the microvilli also increased. This has demonstrated that compared to conventional static culture methods in which forces such as that produced by fluid flow are not applied, the application of shear force due to fluid flow induces the formation of microvilli and controls cell function. Further, the group discovered that activation of the calcium ion channel TRPV6 by fluid shear force induces microvilli formation.
Study in Nature Communications: Fluid shear triggers microvilli formation via mechanosensitive activation of TRPV6…
Via: University of Tokyo…
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