Zorrinho-Almeida Maria, de-Carvalho Jorge, Bernabeu Maria, Silva Pereira Sara
Católica Biomedical Research Centre, Católica Medical School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Oeiras, Portugal.
Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Oeiras, Portugal.
PLoS Pathog. 2025 Apr 24;21(4):e1013088. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1013088. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Microphysiological systems (MPS) replicate the dynamic interactions between cells, tissues, and fluids. They have emerged as transformative tools for biology and have been increasingly applied to host-parasite interactions. Offering a better representation of cellular behavior compared with traditional in vitro models, MPS can facilitate the study of parasite tropism, immune evasion, and life cycle transitions across diverse parasitic diseases. Applications span multiple host tissues and pathogens, leveraging advanced bioengineering and microfabrication techniques to address long-standing knowledge gaps. Here, we review recent advances in MPS applied to parasitic diseases and identify persisting challenges and opportunities for investment. By refining these systems and integrating host multicellular models and parasites, MPS hold vast potential to revolutionize parasitology, enhancing our ability to combat parasitic diseases through deeper mechanistic understanding and targeted interventions.
微生理系统（MPS）可复制细胞、组织和体液之间的动态相互作用。它们已成为生物学领域具有变革性的工具，并越来越多地应用于宿主-寄生虫相互作用的研究。与传统的体外模型相比，MPS能更好地呈现细胞行为，有助于研究多种寄生虫病中的寄生虫嗜性、免疫逃避和生命周期转变。其应用涵盖多个宿主组织和病原体，利用先进的生物工程和微制造技术来填补长期存在的知识空白。在此，我们综述了应用于寄生虫病的MPS的最新进展，并确定了持续存在的挑战和投资机会。通过完善这些系统并整合宿主多细胞模型和寄生虫，MPS具有彻底改变寄生虫学的巨大潜力，可通过更深入的机制理解和有针对性的干预措施，增强我们对抗寄生虫病的能力。
