A dynamic microfluidic culture model of the female reproductive tract  — ASN Events

A dynamic microfluidic culture model of the female reproductive tract  (#465)

Nazanin Razzaghi 1 , Melati AbdulHalim 1 , Fatemeh Amjad 1 , Shireen Parsamanesh 1 , Luk Rombauts 2 3 , Jenny Dyson 1 , Max Gong 4 , Reza Nosrati 1
  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  3. Monash IVF, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Trine University, Angola, IN, USA

 The Fallopian tube epithelium plays a critical role in human fertility by facilitating gamete transport, fertilization, and early embryo development (1). The cooperative activity of ciliated and secretory epithelial cells is essential for maintaining luminal homeostasis (2). This balance is dynamically regulated by both mechanical and hormonal cues (3). However, the role of the dynamic tubal flow environment in regulating epithelial cell behaviour, and the mechanotransduction pathways underlying their responses, remain largely undefined. Here, we present a microfluidic model that mimics the native flow microenvironment of the Fallopian tube to examine how physiological shear regulates epithelial differentiation. Primary epithelial cells were cultured in a dual-channel PDMS device under static and dynamic flow conditions mimicking in vivo shear rates. Cellular responses were evaluated for ciliogenesis (acetylated α-tubulin, FOXJ1) and secretory activity (OVGP1). Our findings demonstrate that fluid shear promotes cilia formation by up to 3-fold and enhances OVGP1 secretion, suggesting shear-induced functional maturation of both ciliated and secretory epithelial cells. This dynamic microfluidic culture model offers a valuable platform for advancing our understanding of reproductive tract biology.

  1. 1. Dinh, H.Q.; Lin, X.; Abbasi, F.; et al. Cell Rep. 2021, 35(2), 108978. 2. Abdul Halim, M.S.; Dyson, J. M.; Gong, M.; et al. Nat. Commun. 2024, 15(1), 7411. 3. Weigert, M.; Li, Y.; Zhu, L.; et al. Nat. Commun. 2025, 16(1), 372.