The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Microfluidic NMR for operando monitoring of drug-induced metabolic fluxes in liver tissue slices

Microfluidic NMR for operando monitoring of drug-induced metabolic fluxes in liver tissue slices
Microfluidic NMR for operando monitoring of drug-induced metabolic fluxes in liver tissue slices

Monitoring metabolism in living tissues with high temporal resolution and broad metabolite coverage remains a major challenge. We introduce the TISuMR platform, a microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip platform that enables continuous, non-invasive operando NMR spectroscopy of live tissue slices. The TISuMR platform replaces the conventional NMR sample tube with a fully integrated microfluidic culture system that maintains tissue viability through dynamic nutrient perifusion, gas exchange via a diffusion membrane, and precise temperature control. Coupled with a custom-designed micro-NMR probe, the platform allows detection of nearly two dozens of metabolites from just 2.5 μL of sample. In a proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate the platform's ability to resolve dynamic metabolic fluxes and to monitor, in real time, the onset of chlorpromazine-induced cholestasis in murine liver tissue, with a time resolution of just over three minutes. This approach provides a powerful, minimally disruptive tool for studying tissue metabolism in real time.

1473-0197
2023-2034
Barker, Sylwia J.
e43994fe-2f73-41c8-b197-f56a8e00ea5e
Patra, Bishnubrata
3bfe5fe9-78ef-4026-9f42-2dd75cfea3b2
Sharma, Manvendra
e249236d-221d-4e59-8440-011f6863f891
Raic, Annamarija
463b6681-c967-475d-a12c-3c23d2f1f9aa
Karsten, Ruby E.H.
ec456492-db81-447f-92b6-30cb51941d00
Verpoorte, Elisabeth
60e1213d-4c07-4ffd-bd5e-54f32f5dcdb3
Utz, Marcel
c84ed64c-9e89-4051-af39-d401e423891b
Barker, Sylwia J.
e43994fe-2f73-41c8-b197-f56a8e00ea5e
Patra, Bishnubrata
3bfe5fe9-78ef-4026-9f42-2dd75cfea3b2
Sharma, Manvendra
e249236d-221d-4e59-8440-011f6863f891
Raic, Annamarija
463b6681-c967-475d-a12c-3c23d2f1f9aa
Karsten, Ruby E.H.
ec456492-db81-447f-92b6-30cb51941d00
Verpoorte, Elisabeth
60e1213d-4c07-4ffd-bd5e-54f32f5dcdb3
Utz, Marcel
c84ed64c-9e89-4051-af39-d401e423891b

Barker, Sylwia J., Patra, Bishnubrata, Sharma, Manvendra, Raic, Annamarija, Karsten, Ruby E.H., Verpoorte, Elisabeth and Utz, Marcel (2026) Microfluidic NMR for operando monitoring of drug-induced metabolic fluxes in liver tissue slices. Lab on a Chip, 26 (6), 2023-2034. (doi:10.1039/d5lc00819k).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Monitoring metabolism in living tissues with high temporal resolution and broad metabolite coverage remains a major challenge. We introduce the TISuMR platform, a microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip platform that enables continuous, non-invasive operando NMR spectroscopy of live tissue slices. The TISuMR platform replaces the conventional NMR sample tube with a fully integrated microfluidic culture system that maintains tissue viability through dynamic nutrient perifusion, gas exchange via a diffusion membrane, and precise temperature control. Coupled with a custom-designed micro-NMR probe, the platform allows detection of nearly two dozens of metabolites from just 2.5 μL of sample. In a proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate the platform's ability to resolve dynamic metabolic fluxes and to monitor, in real time, the onset of chlorpromazine-induced cholestasis in murine liver tissue, with a time resolution of just over three minutes. This approach provides a powerful, minimally disruptive tool for studying tissue metabolism in real time.

Text
TISuMR-acepted-manuscript - Accepted Manuscript
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (7MB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 8 January 2026
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 February 2026
Published date: 17 March 2026

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 511096
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511096
ISSN: 1473-0197
PURE UUID: 486bbc1b-2074-49b1-89d8-332839231ae9
ORCID for Sylwia J. Barker: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7867-5938
ORCID for Marcel Utz: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2274-9672

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 01 May 2026 16:41
Last modified: 01 May 2026 16:41

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Sylwia J. Barker ORCID iD
Author: Bishnubrata Patra
Author: Manvendra Sharma
Author: Annamarija Raic
Author: Ruby E.H. Karsten
Author: Elisabeth Verpoorte
Author: Marcel Utz ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×