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A Role for 3D Printing in Kidney-on-a-Chip Platforms
Ryan D Sochol1, Navin R Gupta2, Joseph V Bonventre3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Current Transplantation Reports
|January 17, 2017
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers a promising solution for creating advanced kidney-on-a-chip models. This technology overcomes limitations of traditional methods, enabling more accurate recapitulation of kidney complexity for better research.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Kidney-on-a-chip platforms are vital for drug screening, toxicity testing, and disease modeling.
- Traditional fabrication methods are monolithic, limiting the accurate recreation of kidney's complex in vivo architecture.
- Improved anatomical complexity in kidney models enhances physiological and pathophysiological event simulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in kidney-on-a-chip platforms.
- To discuss state-of-the-art submillimeter-scale 3D printing techniques for these platforms.
- To explore the potential of 3D printing to enhance kidney-on-a-chip efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on kidney-on-a-chip fabrication and 3D printing technologies.
- Focus on biophysical and architectural capabilities of 3D printing methods.
- Analysis of how 3D printing can address limitations in current kidney-on-a-chip models.
Main Results:
- Traditional micromachining is monolithic and restricts architectural complexity.
- Emerging 3D printing techniques offer a viable alternative for intricate kidney-on-a-chip fabrication.
- 3D printing allows for better reproduction of kidney's in vivo geometric complexity.
Conclusions:
- 3D printing holds significant potential for advancing kidney-on-a-chip technology.
- This approach can lead to more accurate and effective in vitro models of renal function.
- Future kidney-on-a-chip systems will likely benefit from 3D printing's capabilities.
