L22.00004. A microfluidic model of periarterial spaces in the glymphatic system
Presented by: Keelin Quirk
Abstract
In the glymphatic system, cerebrospinal fluid enters through periarterial spaces and removes metabolic waste from the brain’s interstitial spaces. Previous experiments in live mice have found that a wave along artery walls produced by the heartbeat induces flow in the surrounding perivascular space. However, the mechanisms driving the flow are still not well understood, as many mechanisms may be acting simultaneously. We have designed microfluidic devices to serve as two-dimensional models of periarterial spaces. Using particle tracking velocimetry, we analyze induced flow driven by a peristaltic wave at the frequency range representative of human heartbeats. We find the overall bulk flow induced by the membrane wave travels in the same direction as the wave and increases with frequency. However, during an individual pump cycle, we observe both forward and backwards flow. We also measure the phase shift of the induced flow.
Authors
- Keelin Quirk
- Douglas H. Kelley
- Kerstin Nordstrom
