[Current status of MPS research toward social implementation].

With the remarkable scientific advances in stem cells technologies and culture systems, it is no longer a dream to construct in vitro cultured tissue/organ models that respond completely as if they were in vivo. The microphysiological system (MPS) is a symbol of the growing worldwide momentum to promote the use of in vitro methods. The development of MPS devices as a culture system itself has been almost completed both in Japan and overseas, thus, the focus from now on is on the construction of prediction systems and evaluation of their applicability in accordance with the specific requirements (context of use: CoU), for example, of the drug discovery process of pharmaceutical companies. A notable trend at this stage is the close communication between developers (companies and researchers), users, and regulatory authorities, and the organization of the European Organ on a Chip Society (EUROoCS) and the International MPS Summit involving these stakeholders has begun. It is strongly expected that academic studies on in vitro systems symbolized by MPS and their results for the evaluation and prediction of individual responses and their application in society will continue to advance, leading to the promotion of alternatives to animal experiments.