Multi-Organs-on-Chips: Towards Long-Term Biomedical Investigations

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Pharmacology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems offer advantages over traditional cell cultures and animal models for drug development.
• Multi-organ-on-chip (MOC) models connect multiple organ systems to simulate in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
• Automated, stable, long-term testing remains a significant challenge for current MOC systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• This review focuses on recent advancements in enabling long-term testing capabilities for MOC systems.
• To enhance the accuracy and stability of real-time monitoring of multi-organ interactions and cellular responses.
• To discuss the biomedical applications and future potential of long-term MOC testing.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on MOC system development and long-term testing strategies.
• Analysis of advancements in fabricating and operating multi-organ models for extended periods.
• Exploration of methodologies for continuous and automated data acquisition in MOCs.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in developing MOC systems for prolonged, stable, and automated testing.
• These advancements improve the real-time monitoring of complex multi-organ interactions and chronic cellular responses.
• Current efforts focus on enhancing preclinical assessment of new chemical entities using MOCs.

Conclusions:

• Long-term testing in MOCs is crucial for accurate preclinical drug evaluation.
• Further research is needed to optimize MOC systems for chronic toxicity and efficacy studies.
• MOC technology holds significant promise for future biomedical applications in drug discovery and personalized medicine.