Organ/body-on-a-chip based on microfluidic technology for drug discovery.
作者信息
Kimura Hiroshi, Sakai Yasuyuki, Fujii Teruo
机构信息
Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokai University, 4-1-1, Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, 259-1292, Kanagawa, Japan; Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, 4-1-1, Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, 259-1292, Kanagawa, Japan.
Department of Chemical System Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan; International Research Center on Integrative Biomedical Systems (CIBiS), Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan.
出版信息
Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2018 Feb;33(1):43-48. doi: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2017.11.003. Epub 2017 Nov 13.
Although animal experiments are indispensable for preclinical screening in the drug discovery process, various issues such as ethical considerations and species differences remain. To solve these issues, cell-based assays using human-derived cells have been actively pursued. However, it remains difficult to accurately predict drug efficacy, toxicity, and organs interactions, because cultivated cells often do not retain their original organ functions and morphologies in conventional in vitro cell culture systems. In the μTAS research field, which is a part of biochemical engineering, the technologies of organ-on-a-chip, based on microfluidic devices built using microfabrication, have been widely studied recently as a novel in vitro organ model. Since it is possible to physically and chemically mimic the in vitro environment by using microfluidic device technology, maintenance of cellular function and morphology, and replication of organ interactions can be realized using organ-on-a-chip devices. So far, functions of various organs and tissues, such as the lung, liver, kidney, and gut have been reproduced as in vitro models. Furthermore, a body-on-a-chip, integrating multi organ functions on a microfluidic device, has also been proposed for prediction of organ interactions. We herein provide a background of microfluidic systems, organ-on-a-chip, Body-on-a-chip technologies, and their challenges in the future.