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Biomimetic microsystems for cardiovascular studies
Shelby C Inbody1, Bridgett E Sinquefield1, Joshua P Lewis1
1Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.
American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology
|March 24, 2021
Summary
Organs-on-chips (OOCs) offer advanced cardiovascular research by mimicking the body's dynamic environment, overcoming limitations of traditional cell cultures. These microfluidic devices provide a more accurate model for disease and drug studies.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Traditional cell culture platforms lack the mechanical and dynamic features of the in vivo environment.
- These limitations hinder accurate cardiovascular research and drug development.
- Organs-on-chips (OOCs) have emerged as a promising alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review cardiovascular-themed OOC studies.
- To discuss design considerations and fabrication techniques for OOCs.
- To highlight OOC advantages over traditional cell culture and address challenges.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on cardiovascular OOC models.
- Analysis of design principles and fabrication techniques for microfluidic devices.
- Comparison of OOC performance against traditional cell culture.
Main Results:
- OOCs successfully recapitulate key mechanical, electrical, chemical, and structural features of the in vivo microenvironment.
- OOCs have demonstrated utility in disease modeling, developmental studies, and drug testing.
- Significant advantages of OOCs over conventional cell culture were identified.
Conclusions:
- OOCs represent a significant advancement over traditional cell culture for cardiovascular research.
- Further development and implementation of OOCs hold great potential for future studies.
- Addressing current challenges will accelerate the adoption and impact of OOC technology.
