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Pun S, Haney LC, Barrile R. Modelling Human Physiology on-Chip: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:1250. [PMID: 34683301 PMCID: PMC8540847 DOI: 10.3390/mi12101250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
For centuries, animal experiments have contributed much to our understanding of mechanisms of human disease, but their value in predicting the effectiveness of drug treatments in the clinic has remained controversial. Animal models, including genetically modified ones and experimentally induced pathologies, often do not accurately reflect disease in humans, and therefore do not predict with sufficient certainty what will happen in humans. Organ-on-chip (OOC) technology and bioengineered tissues have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional animal testing for a wide range of applications in biological defence, drug discovery and development, and precision medicine, offering a potential alternative. Recent technological breakthroughs in stem cell and organoid biology, OOC technology, and 3D bioprinting have all contributed to a tremendous progress in our ability to design, assemble and manufacture living organ biomimetic systems that more accurately reflect the structural and functional characteristics of human tissue in vitro, and enable improved predictions of human responses to drugs and environmental stimuli. Here, we provide a historical perspective on the evolution of the field of bioengineering, focusing on the most salient milestones that enabled control of internal and external cell microenvironment. We introduce the concepts of OOCs and Microphysiological systems (MPSs), review various chip designs and microfabrication methods used to construct OOCs, focusing on blood-brain barrier as an example, and discuss existing challenges and limitations. Finally, we provide an overview on emerging strategies for 3D bioprinting of MPSs and comment on the potential role of these devices in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirjana Pun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (S.P.); (L.C.H.)
| | - Li Cai Haney
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (S.P.); (L.C.H.)
| | - Riccardo Barrile
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (S.P.); (L.C.H.)
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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2
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Seručnik M, Vicente FA, Brečko Ž, Coutinho JA, Ventura SP, Žnidaršič-Plazl P. Development of a Microfluidic Platform for R-Phycoerythrin Purification Using an Aqueous Micellar Two-Phase System. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING 2020; 8:17097-17105. [PMID: 33344096 PMCID: PMC7737240 DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c05042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Temperature-dependent aqueous micellar two-phase systems (AMTPSs) have recently been gaining attention in the isolation of high-added-value biomolecules from their natural sources. Despite their sustainability, aqueous two-phase systems, and particularly AMTPSs, have not been extensively applied in the industry, which might be changed by applying process integration and continuous manufacturing. Here, we report for the first time on an integrated microfluidic platform for fast and low-material-consuming development of continuous protein purification using an AMTPS. A system comprised of a microchannel incubated at high temperature, enabling instantaneous triggering of a two-phase system formation, and a microsettler, allowing complete phase separation at the outlets, is reported here. The separation of phycobiliproteins and particularly the purification of R-phycoerythrin from the contaminant proteins present in the aqueous crude extract obtained from fresh cells of Gracilaria gracilis were thereby achieved. The results from the developed microfluidic system revealed that the fractionation performance was maintained while reducing the processing time more than 20-fold when compared with the conventional lab-scale batch process. Furthermore, the integration of a miniaturized ultrafiltration module resulted in the complete removal of the surfactant from the bottom phase containing R-phycoerythrin, as well as in nearly twofold target protein concentration. The process setup successfully exploits the benefits of process intensification along with the integration of various downstream processes. Further transfer to a meso-scale integrated system would make such a system appropriate for the separation and purification of biomolecules with high commercial interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojca Seručnik
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna
pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Filipa A. Vicente
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna
pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Aveiro
Institute of Materials (CICECO), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário
de Santiago, 3810-193 PT Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Živa Brečko
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna
pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - João A.
P. Coutinho
- Aveiro
Institute of Materials (CICECO), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário
de Santiago, 3810-193 PT Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sónia P.
M. Ventura
- Aveiro
Institute of Materials (CICECO), Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário
de Santiago, 3810-193 PT Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Polona Žnidaršič-Plazl
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna
pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Chair
of Microprocess Engineering and Technology–COMPETE, University
of Ljubljana, Večna
pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- . Phone: +386 1 479 8572
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Ramadan Q, Zourob M. Organ-on-a-chip engineering: Toward bridging the gap between lab and industry. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:041501. [PMID: 32699563 PMCID: PMC7367691 DOI: 10.1063/5.0011583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) is a very ambitious emerging technology with a high potential to revolutionize many medical and industrial sectors, particularly in preclinical-to-clinical translation in the pharmaceutical arena. In vivo, the function of the organ(s) is orchestrated by a complex cellular structure and physiochemical factors within the extracellular matrix and secreted by various types of cells. The trend in in vitro modeling is to simplify the complex anatomy of the human organ(s) to the minimal essential cellular structure "micro-anatomy" instead of recapitulating the full cellular milieu that enables studying the absorption, metabolism, as well as the mechanistic investigation of drug compounds in a "systemic manner." However, in order to reflect the human physiology in vitro and hence to be able to bridge the gap between the in vivo and in vitro data, simplification should not compromise the physiological relevance. Engineering principles have long been applied to solve medical challenges, and at this stage of organ-on-a-chip technology development, the work of biomedical engineers, focusing on device engineering, is more important than ever to accelerate the technology transfer from the academic lab bench to specialized product development institutions and to the increasingly demanding market. In this paper, instead of presenting a narrative review of the literature, we systemically present a synthesis of the best available organ-on-a-chip technology from what is found, what has been achieved, and what yet needs to be done. We emphasized mainly on the requirements of a "good in vitro model that meets the industrial need" in terms of the structure (micro-anatomy), functions (micro-physiology), and characteristics of the device that hosts the biological model. Finally, we discuss the biological model-device integration supported by an example and the major challenges that delay the OOC technology transfer to the industry and recommended possible options to realize a functional organ-on-a-chip system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qasem Ramadan
- Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Riyadh 11533, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Zourob
- Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Riyadh 11533, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Raj M
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringNational University of Singapore Singapore 117576 Singapore
| | - Suman Chakraborty
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Kharagpur 721302 India
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Abstract
Angiogenesis is a natural and vital phenomenon of neovascularization that occurs from pre-existing vasculature, being present in many physiological processes, namely in development, reproduction and regeneration. Being a highly dynamic and tightly regulated process, its abnormal expression can be on the basis of several pathologies. For that reason, angiogenesis has been a subject of major interest among the scientific community, being transverse to different areas and founding particular attention in tissue engineering and cancer research fields. Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful tool for modelling this phenomenon, thereby surpassing the limitations associated to conventional angiogenic models. Holding a tremendous flexibility in terms of experimental design towards a specific goal, microfluidic systems can offer an unlimited number of opportunities for investigating angiogenesis in many relevant scenarios, namely from its fundamental comprehension in normal physiological processes to the identification and testing of new therapeutic targets involved on pathological angiogenesis. Additionally, microvascular 3D in vitro models are now opening up new prospects in different fields, being used for investigating and establishing guidelines for the development of next generation of 3D functional vascularized grafts. The promising applications of this emerging technology in angiogenesis studies are herein overviewed, encompassing fundamental and applied research.
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Zhao H, Chappell JC. Microvascular bioengineering: a focus on pericytes. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:26. [PMID: 30984287 PMCID: PMC6444752 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0158-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Capillaries within the microcirculation are essential for oxygen delivery and nutrient/waste exchange, among other critical functions. Microvascular bioengineering approaches have sought to recapitulate many key features of these capillary networks, with an increasing appreciation for the necessity of incorporating vascular pericytes. Here, we briefly review established and more recent insights into important aspects of pericyte identification and function within the microvasculature. We then consider the importance of including vascular pericytes in various bioengineered microvessel platforms including 3D culturing and microfluidic systems. We also discuss how vascular pericytes are a vital component in the construction of computational models that simulate microcirculation phenomena including angiogenesis, microvascular biomechanics, and kinetics of exchange across the vessel wall. In reviewing these topics, we highlight the notion that incorporating pericytes into microvascular bioengineering applications will increase their utility and accelerate the translation of basic discoveries to clinical solutions for vascular-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaning Zhao
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016 USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic State Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - John C Chappell
- Center for Heart and Reparative Medicine, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016 USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic State Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA.,3Department of Basic Science Education, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA 24016 USA
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7
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Cochrane A, Albers HJ, Passier R, Mummery CL, van den Berg A, Orlova VV, van der Meer AD. Advanced in vitro models of vascular biology: Human induced pluripotent stem cells and organ-on-chip technology. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 140:68-77. [PMID: 29944904 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The vascular system is one of the first to develop during embryogenesis and is essential for all organs and tissues in our body to develop and function. It has many essential roles including controlling the absorption, distribution and excretion of compounds and therefore determines the pharmacokinetics of drugs and therapeutics. Vascular homeostasis is under tight physiological control which is essential for maintaining tissues in a healthy state. Consequently, disruption of vascular homeostasis plays an integral role in many disease processes, making cells of the vessel wall attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Experimental models of blood vessels can therefore contribute significantly to drug development and aid in predicting the biological effects of new drug entities. The increasing availability of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) derived from healthy individuals and patients have accelerated advances in developing experimental in vitro models of the vasculature: human endothelial cells (ECs), pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), can now be generated with high efficiency from hiPSC and used in 'microfluidic chips' (also known as 'organ-on-chip' technology) as a basis for in vitro models of blood vessels. These near physiological scaffolds allow the controlled integration of fluid flow and three-dimensional (3D) co-cultures with perivascular cells to mimic tissue- or organ-level physiology and dysfunction in vitro. Here, we review recent multidisciplinary developments in these advanced experimental models of blood vessels that combine hiPSC with microfluidic organ-on-chip technology. We provide examples of their utility in various research areas and discuss steps necessary for further integration in biomedical applications so that they can be contribute effectively to the evaluation and development of new drugs and other therapeutics as well as personalized (patient-specific) treatments.
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van den Berg A, Mummery CL, Passier R, van der Meer AD. Personalised organs-on-chips: functional testing for precision medicine. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:198-205. [PMID: 30506070 PMCID: PMC6336148 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00827b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Organs-on-chips are microfluidic systems with controlled, dynamic microenvironments in which cultured cells exhibit functions that emulate organ-level physiology. They can in principle be 'personalised' to reflect individual physiology, for example by including blood samples, primary human tissue, and cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, as well as by tuning key physico-chemical parameters of the cell culture microenvironment based on personal health data. The personalised nature of such systems, combined with physiologically relevant read-outs, provides new opportunities for person-specific assessment of drug efficacy and safety, as well as personalised strategies for disease prevention and treatment; together, this is known as 'precision medicine'. There are multiple reports of how to personalise organs-on-chips, with examples including airway-on-a-chip systems containing primary patient alveolar epithelial cells, vessels-on-chips with shapes based on personal biomedical imaging data and lung-on-a-chip systems that can be exposed to various regimes of cigarette smoking. In addition, multi-organ chip systems even allow the systematic and dynamic integration of more complex combinations of personalised cell culture parameters. Current personalised organs-on-chips have not yet been used for precision medicine as such. The major challenges that affect the implementation of personalised organs-on-chips in precision medicine are related to obtaining access to personal samples and corresponding health data, as well as to obtaining data on patient outcomes that can confirm the predictive value of personalised organs-on-chips. We argue here that involving all biomedical stakeholders from clinicians and patients to pharmaceutical companies will be integral to transition personalised organs-on-chips to precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert van den Berg
- BIOS/Lab on a Chip
, University of Twente
,
The Netherlands
- Max Planck - University of Twente Center for Complex Fluids
,
The Netherlands
| | - Christine L. Mummery
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies
, University of Twente
,
Zuidhorst ZH127
, PO Box 217
, 7500 AE Enschede
, The Netherlands
.
; Tel: +31 53 489 8064
- Anatomy and Embryology
, Leiden University Medical Center
,
The Netherlands
| | - Robert Passier
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies
, University of Twente
,
Zuidhorst ZH127
, PO Box 217
, 7500 AE Enschede
, The Netherlands
.
; Tel: +31 53 489 8064
| | - Andries D. van der Meer
- Applied Stem Cell Technologies
, University of Twente
,
Zuidhorst ZH127
, PO Box 217
, 7500 AE Enschede
, The Netherlands
.
; Tel: +31 53 489 8064
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9
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Marsden AL, Truskey GA. The future of biomedical engineering – Vascular bioengineering. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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