Lack of complexity in lung-on chips causes issues in interaction simulations
Scientists have been working on creating organoids and microfluidic on-chip models to study organ-level disease
outside the body. However, current lung-on chip models possess a lack of complexity. Traditionally, lung-on-chip
models have consisted primarily of a thin layer of cells from the lining of the airways and blood vessels, which is a
substantial departure from the complexity of human lung tissue that would include both a 3D network of blood
vessels and supportive cells like fibroblasts. This creates difficulty in simulating the interaction between lung
tissue and lymphoid organs, and results in a lack of comprehensive in vitro models to study complex immune
responses to lung infections. It also presents challenges in assessing the efficacy and safety of potential vaccines
and treatments for respiratory diseases. This hinders the development of new therapies and interventions.
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working to develop a new organ-on-chip system that
mimics the interface between the airways and the surrounding tissue in the human lung by including a 3D vascular
network and normal or diseased fibroblasts. With these more accurate testing conditions, scientists can study
disease mechanisms in a more accurate and relevant way, which leads to the exploration and development of
more effective treatment strategies.
New technology serves as a versatile platform for screening of medicine
This technology introduces a pioneering organ-on-chip system that intricately combines a vascularized lung model
with lymphoid tissues through lymphatic channels on a single chip. Engineered to simulate multiple tissue
environments, this system supports the culture of differentiated airway epithelium, stromal, and immune cells in a
compartmentalized manner. It facilitates the study of inflammatory responses and B cell activity in response to
airway infections like influenza, thereby serving as a versatile platform for the screening of treatments and
vaccines.
- Highly integrated system simulating lung, lymphatics, and lymphoid tissues on a single chip.
- Capability to modulate cell types and culture durations for diverse studies.
- Supports in-depth investigation of immune responses to pulmonary infections.
- Offers a novel platform for the screening of vaccines and therapeutic interventions.
- Preclinical drug and vaccine development for pulmonary diseases.
- Academic and pharmaceutical research into immune responses and infection mechanisms.
- Disease modeling for educational and research purposes.
- Customizable in vitro testing platform for biomedical engineering advancements.