Cancer

A novel method to understand tumor cell invasion: integrating extracellular matrix mimicking layers in micro fluidic chips by “selective curing”

in Biomedical Microdevices

“Here, we review the recent contributions of cancer-on-a-chip models to our understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment in the onset of metastasis, and provide an outlook for future applications of this emerging technology.”

Metastasis in context: modeling the tumor microenvironment with cancer-on-a-chip approaches

in Disease Models and Mechanisms

“In this article, we present a new micro fabrication method, called selective curing, to integrate ECM-mimicking layers between two micro fluidic channels. This method enables us to study the effect of 3D matrices with controlled architecture, beyond the conventionally used hydrogels, on cancer invasion in a controlled environment.”

Characterizing the invasion of different breast cancer cell lines with distinct E-cadherin status in 3D using a micro fluidic system

in Biomedical Microdevices

“In this paper, we used a previously developed microfluidic system to quantify the three-dimensional invasion of breast cancer cells with different E-cadherin status, namely MCF-7, CAMA-1 and MDA-MB-231 with wild type, mutated and promoter hyper methylated E-cadherin, respectively.”

A micropillar array-based microfluidic chip for label-free separation of circulating tumor cells: The best micropillar geometry?

in Journal of Advanced Research

Intestine

Intestinal explant barrier chip: long-term intestinal absorption screening in a novel microphysiological system using tissue explants

in Lab on a Chip

“Here, we present a medium throughput microphysiological system, Intestinal Explant Barrier Chip (IEBC), that creates a dynamic microfluidic microenvironment and prolongs tissue viability. From a selection of low to high permeability drugs, 6 out of 7 properly ranked according to their fraction absorbed.”

A Theoretical and Experimental Study to Optimize Cell Differentiation in a Novel Intestinal Chip

in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

“In this study, Caco-2 cells were seeded under physiologically-relevant uni-directional shear stress and compared to cells cultured under gravity-driven flow.”

Intestine-on-a-chip: Next level in vitro research model of the human intestine

in Current Opinion in Toxicology

“This review summarizes the current intestine-on-a-chip models with a distinction between cell- or organoid-based models and models that apply ex vivo tissue biopsies, as well as describing the progress and hurdles to overcome when applying intestine-on-a-chip models to study host-microbe interactions and intestinal diseases.”

Bone & Cartilage

Osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis on a chip: Engineering a self-assembling 3D coculture

in Bone

“In this study, a scaffold free, fully human, 3D microfluidic coculture model of bone remodeling is presented. Human mesenchymal stromal cells differentiated into the osteoblastic lineage and self-assembled into scaffold free bone-like tissues with the shape and dimensions of human trabeculae. Human monocytes were able to attach to these tissues and to fuse into multinucleated osteoclast-like cells, establishing the coculture.”

Capturing Essential Physiological Aspects of Interacting Cartilage and Bone Tissue with Osteoarthritis Pathophysiology: A Human Osteochondral Unit-on-a-Chip Model

in Advanced Materials Technologies

“A microfluidic chip is developed with an integrated fibrous polycaprolactone matrix in which neo-bone and cartilage are produced, that could serve as a tailored human in vitro disease model of the osteochondral unit of joints. After establishing the co-culture in the system, a layer of cartilaginous matrix is deposited in the chondrogenic compartment, while a bone-like matrix is deposited between the fibers. As proof-of-principle, the bone and cartilaginous tissue are exposed to active thyroid hormone, creating an OA disease model.”

Organ-organ cross-talk

The application of organ-on-chip models for the prediction of human pharmacokinetic profiles during drug development

in Pharmacological Research

“In this review, the potential of Organ on a chip models to improve the prediction of human oral bioavailability and intrinsic clearance is discussed, with a focus on the functionality of the models and the application in current drug development practice.”

Intestinal explant barrier chip: long-term intestinal absorption screening in a novel microphysiological system using tissue explants

in Lab on a Chip

“Here, we present a medium throughput microphysiological system, Intestinal Explant Barrier Chip (IEBC), that creates a dynamic microfluidic microenvironment and prolongs tissue viability. From a selection of low to high permeability drugs, 6 out of 7 properly ranked according to their fraction absorbed.”

Microphysiological Systems to Recapitulate the Gut–Kidney Axis

in Trends in Biotechnology

“We discuss recent developments in the field that could potentially lead to in vitro modeling of the gut–kidney axis in CKD.”

The potential of multi-organ-on-chip models for assessment of drug disposition as alternative to animal testing

in Current Opinion in Toxicology

“To be able to capture human physiology as good as possible, multi-organ-on-chips should feature: 1) human cells endogenously expressing main transporters and metabolizing enzymes; 2) organ models relevant for exposure route; 3) individual organs-on-chip connected in a physiologically relevant manner; 4) a tight cellular barrier between the compartments; 5) organ models properly polarized in 3D; 6) allow for sampling in all major compartments; 7) constructed from materials that do not absorb or adsorb the compound of interest; 8) cells should grow in absence of fetal calf serum (FCS) and Matrigel; 9) validated with a panel of compounds with known characteristics in humans; 10) an integrated computer model translating concentrations to the human situation. Here, an overview of available systems is presented and the difficult route towards a fully validated system is discussed.”

Drug development

The application of organ-on-chip models for the prediction of human pharmacokinetic profiles during drug development

in Pharmacological Research

“In this review, the potential of Organ on a chip models to improve the prediction of human oral bioavailability and intrinsic clearance is discussed, with a focus on the functionality of the models and the application in current drug development practice.”

The potential of multi-organ-on-chip models for assessment of drug disposition as alternative to animal testing

in Current Opinion in Toxicology

“To be able to capture human physiology as good as possible, multi-organ-on-chips should feature: 1) human cells endogenously expressing main transporters and metabolizing enzymes; 2) organ models relevant for exposure route; 3) individual organs-on-chip connected in a physiologically relevant manner; 4) a tight cellular barrier between the compartments; 5) organ models properly polarized in 3D; 6) allow for sampling in all major compartments; 7) constructed from materials that do not absorb or adsorb the compound of interest; 8) cells should grow in absence of fetal calf serum (FCS) and Matrigel; 9) validated with a panel of compounds with known characteristics in humans; 10) an integrated computer model translating concentrations to the human situation. Here, an overview of available systems is presented and the difficult route towards a fully validated system is discussed.”

Others

Photoresponsive Passive Micro mixers Based on Spiropyran Size‐Tunable Hydrogels

in Macromolecular Rapid Communications

“Here a switchable passive mixer has been developed to control mixing and to easily clean microchannels. The mixer is based on a photo responsive spiropyran based hydrogel of which the dimensions can be tuned by changing the intensity of the light.”