The endothelial glycocalyx lines the interior of blood vessels, regulating cell properties in response to changes in blood flow. Under high shear stresses, it has been found that the glycocalyx experiences lasting damage, resulting in unknown consequences. It has been theorized to play a role in post pneumonectomy complications which occur after the surgical removal of one lung. Research has examined the effects of general shear stress on the endothelial vasculature, but the magnitude and effects of post pneumonectomy shear stress are unknown. In this project, a SOLIDWORKS model of the lung vasculature before and after a pneumonectomy was created to assess the changes in shear stress, velocity, and pressure. Based on findings from simulations performed on these models in COMSOL, a fluidic chip was created and seeded with human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs) to test the effects of elevated shear stress for elongated periods of time. Specific points of interest were selected to be modeled from regions with notably higher values of shear stress and pressure in the pneumonectomy models from the COMSOL simulations. After testing, the HLMVECs were fixed and stained to qualitatively assess the state of the glycocalyx layer under normal and increased stresses caused by a pneumonectomy.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Ouellette, Megan
• Long, Mia
• Martel, John
• Johnson, Eric
• Vengat, Sudish

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043023-181719
• 107181

Advisor

• Mensah, Solomon

Year

• 2023

Date created

• 2023-04-30

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering

Source

• E-project-043023-181719

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Última modificação

• 2023-06-16