University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Spatially-defined quantitative interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection using polyethylene glycol microgel sensors (μGELISA)

Ryoo, Hyeon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115420

Description

Title
Spatially-defined quantitative interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection using polyethylene glycol microgel sensors (μGELISA)
Author(s)
Ryoo, Hyeon
Issue Date
2022-04-25
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Underhill, Gregory H
Department of Study
Bioengineering
Discipline
Bioengineering
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
  • Microgel
  • Sensor
  • Granular hydrogel
  • IL-6
  • 3D Cell Culture
  • Polyethylene glycol
  • Hepatic stellate cell
  • Microwell
  • Protein sensor
  • ELISA
Abstract
Cells communicate with each other in multiple ways, with proteins as one of these signals. IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in inflammation. IL-6 has a seemingly double-sided effect in liver pathologies, enhancing liver steatosis but also reducing liver injury. This ambiguous nature makes it imperative to find a research tool that can quantify local IL-6 concentrations in in vitro cell culture. By optimizing an ELISA system fitted into polyethylene glycol (PEG) microgels, we have developed an easy-to-use IL-6 sensor enabled for 3D cell culture systems. Using a confocal microscope, the microgels are able to detect IL-6 concentrations from 2.95 ng/mL and 33.56 ng/mL (middle 80% detection range). This concentration range fit well within the IL-6 release profile of small HSC aggregates, allowing us to quantify the exact IL-6 concentration starting at an average minimum distance of 14.68 μm from the aggregate. The μGELISA system could be adapted to proteins other than IL-6 by modifying the antibody sets used for capture and detection. Our μGELISA system could also be used to study cell-to-cell communication through protein signals and the effect these local concentrations have on each other, all within a closed-loop environment.
Graduation Semester
2022-05
Type of Resource
Thesis
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2022 Hyeon Ryoo

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