Mikroakışkanlarda 3 boyultu fonksiyonel lakrimal bezin geliştirilmesi

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a disease caused by a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye because of various reasons. Current methods for treatment of DES are not efficient enough to overcome disease completely. Especially inflammatory cases of this disease lack a proper treatment method. In this project, we aim to develop an artificial functional lacrimal gland from lacrimal gland cells/tissues in the precisely controlled microfluidic system environment. The artificial lacrimal gland can be a potential treatment for dry eye syndrome especially in inflammatory cases. Tissue engineering is the practice of a combination of cells, engineering, materials, and suitable biochemical and physicochemical factors to repair, improve or replace biological tissues or organs. The aim of tissue engineering is designing controlled artificial organ or tissue models to help medical treatment tools. Microfluidics are interdisciplinary field which that are based on the control of very low volumes of fluids and have many applications in the fields of basic sciences (such as physics, chemistry and biology) as well as in engineering. The objective of the project is to generate an artificial functional lacrimal gland inside of a 3D custom designed microfluidic system with lacrimal gland cells and tissue parts. In this microfluidic system, different compartments of lacrimal gland cultured within the natural biocompatible and biodegradable 3D hydrogel. This photo-polymerizable hydrogel provides an extra cellular matrix properties for the construct and keep functioning as in its natural environment.