OMEGANMJ Neuromuscular Junction Device

To build an in vitro model for ALS or other neuromuscular diseases, start by establishing self-assembled 3D skeletal muscle cultures. The oval muscle culture chamber contains two micropillars that form anchor points for the formation of 3D skeletal muscle tissue. Compared to monolayer cultures, these 3D cultures are more stable for long-term culture applications and mature rapidly and more completely, making 3D skeletal muscle cultures ideal for establishing long-term motoneuron muscle co-cultures.

Next, seed motor neurons in the adjoined neuronal culture chamber. Axons will extend into the muscle chamber through a series of microchannels that fluidically isolate the two culture chambers. This way, the somatic motor neuron components are never directly exposed to the 3D muscle tissue they innervate, forming a system that more closely resembles the native neuromuscular physiology. Especially in the context of drug discovery, preclinical drug evaluation and development, this increased physiological relevance over simple co-cultures is invaluable.

The OMEGA^NMJ is here to help you develop your next-generation 3D NMJ model. Take your research to the next level by creating human-relevant neuromuscular disease models for ALS, Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy (DMD) or Kennedy’s disease (SBMA). 

Description

Our OMEGA^NMJ neuromuscular junction device merges the simplicity of microfluidics with the power of 3D cell culture to help you form advanced in vitro neuromuscular junction models. Easily create human-relevant neuromuscular disease models (e.g., Duchenne-type Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Kennedy’s disease (SBMA), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)). Our NMJ-on-a-chip™ technology offers you a truly unique and time-saving tool. 

To form muscle neuron co-cultures, resuspend myogenic progenitor cells from primary, iPSC or immortalized sources in an ECM-derived hydrogel mixture, and seed them into the muscle culture chamber. After polymerization, the hydrogel-suspended myoblasts begin to self-assemble into a 3D skeletal muscle microtissue using the two built-in micropillars as anchors. Once differentiated and matured, these muscle microtissues twitch and contract as is expected from skeletal muscle. This allows for the examination of the contractile and electrophysiological characteristics of mature skeletal muscle in vitro. Motor neurons seeded in the neuronal chamber will project axons through the microchannels into the muscle chamber, where they will interact with the established 3D skeletal muscle microtissue.

As with all eNUVIO’s OMEGA series, the OMEGA^NMJ has open-top chambers, giving you the ability to use explants or self-assembled 3D cultures (e.g. spheroids, organoids) in addition to primary or iPSC-derived neurons in your experiments. Each device contains two adjoined pairs of chambers, so two separate experiments can be performed with one device. The devices come ready-to-use in culture – they are sterile, hydrophilic and are pre-bonded to a high-transmissive PDMS base.

Culture compatibility:

• iPSC-derived myogenic/neurgenic precursors
• Primary cells from embryonic sources or biopsies
  
• Explants
• Self-assembled 3D cultures (e.g. spheroids or organoids)
• Immortalized myogenic cell lines

OMEGA^NMJ specifications:

• High-transmissive PDMS base: 22 mm round
  

The OMEGA^NMJ Starter kit includes:

• 3 x OMEGA^NMJ devices
• 3 x circular cell culture evaporation minimizers (reusable)
• 3 x 35 mm round culture dishes (sterile)
• 1 x 35 mm microscope stage adapter (reusable)

The OMEGA^NMJ Refill kit includes:

• 3 x OMEGA^NMJ devices
• 3 x 35 mm round culture dishes (sterile)

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