Direct current electric field regulates endothelial permeability under physiologically relevant fluid forces in a microfluidic vessel bifurcation model
Prashanth Mohana Sundaram, Kaushik K. Rangharajan, Ehsan Akbari, Tanner J. Hadick, Jonathan W. Song, Shaurya Prakash
Abstract
laminar shear stress in the branched vessel) while maintaining the same electrical stimulation, a 4-fold increase in endothelial permeability compared to the static control was observed. The lower increase in endothelial permeability for the higher fluid forces but the same DC-EF suggests a competing role between fluid forces and the applied DC-EF. Moreover, the observed increase in endothelial permeability due to combined DC-EF and flow was transient and dependent on the Akt signalling pathway. Collectively, these findings provide significant new insights into how the endothelium serves as an electro-mechanical interface for regulating vessel permeability.