Biomimetic chips developed to model human organ function
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029040
Nature : To avoid drug and disease testing on live animals, researchers are developing so-called organs-on-chips. The devices consist of a three-dimensional cell culture that simulates the physiological activities of an entire human organ, such as the heart or liver, and is mounted on a chip. The technology is progressing rapidly, and the latest developments were demonstrated last week at the Organ-on-a-Chip World Congress in Boston. Researchers say the miniature model organs can be developed to mimic either healthy or diseased tissue and are superior to animal models because they respond to drugs more closely to the way a human organ does. However, the technology is not yet advanced enough to accurately represent the full complexity of organ function, and some drugs can affect multiple organs.
