Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: A gut-on-chip model reveals architecture-dependent epithelial responses to microbial challenge

doi: 10.64898/2026.10.08.757552

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Schematic illustration of static 2D Caco-2 monolayers cultured on coverslips and the perfused 3D microfluidic Caco-2-on-chip system supporting crypt-like epithelial architecture. (B) Experimental design for time-resolved infection with Ec N at MOI 20, including post-infection analysis of epithelial morphology, barrier function and gene expression under antibiotic-treated conditions. (C) Experimental design for dose-dependent infection with C. rodentium at MOIs 20–50, assessing epithelial damage and inflammatory responses at a defined post-infection endpoint. Experiments involving Ec N and C. rodentium were conducted independently and were not designed for direct comparison.

Article Snippet: The human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) was cultured in T75 flasks (Sarstedt, Germany) using Caco-2 growth medium composed of Advanced Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) (Ref: 12634-010, Gibco, USA) supplemented with 10 % fetal calf serum (Ref: FBS.S 0615, Bio&Cell, Germany), 1 % GlutaMAX (Ref: 35050-061, Gibco, USA), and 1 % ZellShield (Ref: 13-0150, Minerva, Germany).

Techniques: Cell Culture, Infection, Analysis, Morphology, Gene Expression, Comparison

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: A gut-on-chip model reveals architecture-dependent epithelial responses to microbial challenge

doi: 10.64898/2026.10.08.757552

Figure Lengend Snippet: (A) Immunofluorescence images of tight junction staining in monolayers infected with C. rodentium at MOIs 20, 30, 40 and 50, showing progressive loss of junctional continuity with increasing bacterial load. (B) qPCR analysis of TJP1 , OCLN , KI67 , and TNF expression in response to increasing C. rodentium loads (MOI 20-50) in conventional 2D Caco-2 cultures. Relative expression values were normalized to uninfected controls. Data are presented as mean ± SEM from up to five independent biological experiments. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA; statistically significant differences are indicated where applicable.

Article Snippet: The human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) was cultured in T75 flasks (Sarstedt, Germany) using Caco-2 growth medium composed of Advanced Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) (Ref: 12634-010, Gibco, USA) supplemented with 10 % fetal calf serum (Ref: FBS.S 0615, Bio&Cell, Germany), 1 % GlutaMAX (Ref: 35050-061, Gibco, USA), and 1 % ZellShield (Ref: 13-0150, Minerva, Germany).

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Staining, Infection, Analysis, Expressing