Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems

Replicating the bone microenvironment of the metastatic niche is a key challenge in bone metastases studies. Although multiple studies have provided outlines for producing a vascularized bone microenvironment, they are not without their limitations. Here we aim to optimize a protocol to generate an...

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Main Author: Ng, Wei Kai
Other Authors: Chong Seow Khoon, Mark
Format: Final Year Project
Language:English
Published: 2017
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71784
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-717842023-03-03T15:38:24Z Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems Ng, Wei Kai Chong Seow Khoon, Mark School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (BioSyM) DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering Replicating the bone microenvironment of the metastatic niche is a key challenge in bone metastases studies. Although multiple studies have provided outlines for producing a vascularized bone microenvironment, they are not without their limitations. Here we aim to optimize a protocol to generate an accurate bone microenvironment model using endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cell aggregates (spheroids) within a microfluidic device, and to evaluate the possibility of studying osteogenic gene expression levels within the microenvironment using molecular beacons. We found that the spheroids, when differentiated provides a good representation of osteogenic micro-tissue. We also investigated the factors to generate the bone microenvironment, and have managed to form a micro-vascular network within our microfluidic device. However, additional optimization experiments are required to fully optimize all parameters and obtain perfusable micro-vascular networks consistently. We also evaluated the use of poly-lactic-co-glycolid microparticles to deliver molecular beacons to the cells, and have found out that the uptake of the microparticles are poor. Hence, alternative methods of molecular beacon delivery need to be tested. Our projects shows potential in further development, and if successful, can provide an accurate platform for cancer metastasis studies. Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) 2017-05-19T03:52:13Z 2017-05-19T03:52:13Z 2017 Final Year Project (FYP) http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71784 en Nanyang Technological University 49 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
spellingShingle DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
Ng, Wei Kai
Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
description Replicating the bone microenvironment of the metastatic niche is a key challenge in bone metastases studies. Although multiple studies have provided outlines for producing a vascularized bone microenvironment, they are not without their limitations. Here we aim to optimize a protocol to generate an accurate bone microenvironment model using endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cell aggregates (spheroids) within a microfluidic device, and to evaluate the possibility of studying osteogenic gene expression levels within the microenvironment using molecular beacons. We found that the spheroids, when differentiated provides a good representation of osteogenic micro-tissue. We also investigated the factors to generate the bone microenvironment, and have managed to form a micro-vascular network within our microfluidic device. However, additional optimization experiments are required to fully optimize all parameters and obtain perfusable micro-vascular networks consistently. We also evaluated the use of poly-lactic-co-glycolid microparticles to deliver molecular beacons to the cells, and have found out that the uptake of the microparticles are poor. Hence, alternative methods of molecular beacon delivery need to be tested. Our projects shows potential in further development, and if successful, can provide an accurate platform for cancer metastasis studies.
author2 Chong Seow Khoon, Mark
author_facet Chong Seow Khoon, Mark
Ng, Wei Kai
format Final Year Project
author Ng, Wei Kai
author_sort Ng, Wei Kai
title Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
title_short Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
title_full Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
title_fullStr Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
title_full_unstemmed Molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
title_sort molecular beacons for the interrogation of engineered bone systems
publishDate 2017
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71784
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