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VenaFlux Solutions mimic human blood vessels

The circulatory system contains many different types of blood vessels which delivers blood cells, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide and hormones to all parts of the body.  Blood vessels play a huge role in many medical conditions such as:

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VenaFlux Solutions comprise packages to suit all budgets, with our Starter kit including a precision microfluidic pump, a microenvironmental chamber to hold the biochips which contain engineered microcapillaries and cell analysis software; to Pro and Elite versions including high-end fluorescent microscopes with a digital camera.  The VenaFluxAssay software integrates the microfluidic pump, microscope and camera resulting in a complete automated high-throughput flow assay system for shear stress experiments.  

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APPLICATIONS

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Platelet Aggregation

Blockage or closing of a blood vessel from a thrombus (blood clot) can lead to ischaemia (insufficient blood supply).

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Cell adhesion & migration

Inflammation of the vessel wall is called vasculitis and is usually caused by leukocyte migration and resultant damage.  This is often due to autoimmune disorders or infection.

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Plaque restricts blood flow

The narrowing of an artery due to the build-up of plaque (fatty deposits) - is one of the most common cardiovasular diseases, which can lead to one of many conditions including stroke or coronary artery disease.

Applications

HOW DOES IT WORK?

How does VenaFlux mimic human blood vessels?

The microcapillaries of Vena8 Fluoro+ and Vena8 Endothelial+ biochips resemble the arterial, venous and capillary blood vessesls where blood interaction with clotting factors can be studied in vitro under shear stress.

Biochip with Blood vessels and flow prof
Mimic blood vessels
How does it work?

What is shear stress?

Blood flows in the arteries, veins and capillaries at different shear stresses.  Shear stress is the frictional force generated by blood flow in the blood vessel - it is the force that the blood exerts on the vessel wall, expressed in force-area unit (typically dynes/cm2).  

Shear flow and shear stress equation.jpg
Thrombosis Platelet adhesion to vWF coated biochip at 60 dynecm².jpg

Whole blood: only for shear rates > 50s^-1

Cellix's precision microfluidic Mirus Evo pump and ExiGo pump deliver cell samples or whole blood at constant or variable shear stresses into the microcapillaries of the Vena8 Fluoro+ or Vena8 Endothelial+ biochips.  This mimics in vivo physiological shear stress.

Mirus Evo connection to Biochip

VenaFlux_Mirus Evo-to-biochip flow path.

Exigo connection to Biochip

VenaFlux_ExiGo-to-biochip flow path.jpg
Shear stress

Cell Imaging and Image Capture

The biochip is placed in a temperature-controlled micro-environmental chamber to mimic physiological conditions.  This chamber sits on the stage of an inverted microscope with digital camera attached.  The microscope and camera provide automated image/video acquisition which enables the study of blood flow dynamics, for exmamples haemostasis, leukocyte-endothelial inflammation studies etc.

VenaFlux_Micro-environmental Chamber and
VenaFlux_Microscope and Micro-environmen
Cell imaging & capture

Cell Analysis

Image Pro Premier is a cell analysis software program that analyses the images captured with the microscope and digital camera.  Examples of analysis include:

  • Thrombosis studies: the area coverage of the thrombi in the microcapillaries is measured, i.e. the number of individual thrombi and aggregates are established. 

  • Inflammation studies such as leukocyte-endothelial interaction assays:  leukocyte movement, rolling velocity, adherence and transmigration are investigated using the software.  

Cell Analysis
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Laura Marcela Forero Ramirez

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Novel mechanism to attenuate thrombosis

Anti-Platelet Properties Of Pim Kinase Inhibition Is Mediated Through Disruption Of Thromboxane A2 Receptor Signalling

Amanda J. Unsworth

May 2020

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RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

VenaFlux_Starter.jpg

I have a microscope

Get me started!

  • Mirus Evo Pump

  • Microenvironmental Chamber

  • Image Pro Cell Analysis Software

Read More
VenaFlux_Pro.jpg

Microscope included

Here's what you get...

  • Mirus Evo Pump

  • Microenvironmental Chamber

  • Image Pro Cell Analysis Software

  • Microscope:  Zeiss AxioVert A1

  • Digital Camera:  Prime BSI Express

  • Dell PC with VenaFluxAssay software.

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Automated microscope

The ultimate solution...

  • Mirus Evo Pump

  • Microenvironmental Chamber

  • Image Pro Cell Analysis Software

  • Microscope:  Zeiss AxioObserver 7

  • Digital Camera:  Prime BSI Express

  • Dell PC with VenaFluxAssay software.

Recommended Products
VenaFlux Solutions query
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