Organ-on-a-chip

An organ-on-a-chip (OOC) is a multi-channel 3D <a href="/facts/Microfluidic/UW3LnTdE">microfluidic</a> <a href="/facts/Cell_culture/7Qhu13D9">cell culture</a>, <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a> (chip) that simulates the activities, mechanics and physiological response of an entire <a href="/facts/Organ_(biology)/FUYsLaxz">organ</a> or an <a href="/facts/Organ_system/KAWNntR0">organ system</a>. It constitutes the subject matter of significant <a href="/facts/Biomedical_engineering/TNAa3sqa">biomedical engineering</a> research, more precisely in <a href="/facts/Bio-MEMS/IIcJM9xy">bio-MEMS</a>. The convergence of <a href="/facts/Lab-on-a-chip/5ABHeIdC">labs-on-chips</a> (LOCs) and <a href="/facts/Cell_biology/kdIBGHub">cell biology</a> has permitted the study of <a href="/facts/Human_physiology/WP1QbDTn">human physiology</a> in an organ-specific context. By acting as a more sophisticated <a href="/facts/In_vitro/evp3hAX6">in vitro</a> approximation of complex tissues than standard <a href="/facts/Cell_culture/7Qhu13D9">cell culture</a>, they provide the potential as an alternative to <a href="/facts/Animal_testing/mHMf98y8">animal models</a> for drug development and toxin testing.
Although multiple <a href="/facts/Publications/C85p7aCC">publications</a> claim to have translated organ functions onto this interface, the development of these microfluidic applications is still in its infancy. Organs-on-chips vary in design and approach between different researchers. Organs that have been simulated by microfluidic devices include <a href="/facts/Human_brain/qfSwSB8K">brain</a>, <a href="/facts/Lung/gTWXI6Fj">lung</a>, <a href="/facts/Heart/fF4KSGdk">heart</a>, <a href="/facts/Kidney/HBspPrv9">kidney</a>, <a href="/facts/Liver/Rtp4Fk2b">liver</a>, <a href="/facts/Prostate/mrBdSsf7">prostate</a>, <a href="/facts/Blood_vessel/FG3GjPNW">vessel</a> (<a href="/facts/Artery/Y1Yj0jat">artery</a>), <a href="/facts/Human_skin/cfRXQwSs">skin</a>, <a href="/facts/Bone/kwJaR6IQ">bone</a>, <a href="/facts/Cartilage/vxy2qzKN">cartilage</a> and more.
A limitation of the early organ-on-a-chip approach is that simulation of an isolated organ may miss significant biological phenomena that occur in the body's complex network of physiological processes, and that this oversimplification limits the inferences that can be drawn. Many aspects of subsequent microphysiometry aim to address these constraints by modeling more sophisticated physiological responses under accurately simulated conditions via <a href="/facts/Etching_(microfabrication)/kPa01dgL">microfabrication</a>, <a href="/facts/Microelectronics/HzCusb86">microelectronics</a> and microfluidics.
The development of organ chips has enabled the study of the complex <a href="/facts/Pathophysiology/Tp3Dny0c">pathophysiology</a> of human <a href="/facts/Viral_infection/F1Tth6qP">viral infections</a>. An example is the liver chip platform that has enabled studies of <a href="/facts/Viral_hepatitis/DjT90Yhf">viral hepatitis</a>.

Organ-on-a-chip open-in-new

Organ-on-a-chip