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Bioengineered microfluidic blood-brain barrier models in oncology research
Robin Augustine1, Ahmad H Aqel1, Sumama Nuthana Kalva1
1Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, 2713 Doha, Qatar; Biomedical Research Center (BRC), Qatar University, PO Box 2713 Doha, Qatar.
Translational Oncology
|April 17, 2021
Summary
Brain metastasis occurs when cancer cells breach the blood-brain barrier (BBB). New microfluidic models effectively mimic the BBB, aiding research into brain metastasis and targeted cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Brain metastasis is a significant cause of mortality in cancer patients, occurring when malignant cells traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
- Dysfunction of the BBB is implicated in neurological disorders and the progression of brain metastases.
- Developing accurate in vitro models of the BBB is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms and discovering new treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the fundamentals of blood-brain barrier (BBB) biology.
- To discuss recent advancements in microfluidic platforms for modeling the BBB.
- To highlight the application of bioengineered BBB models in brain metastasis and cancer research.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on BBB biology and in vitro models.
- Analysis of bioengineered constructs and microfluidic platforms for BBB recapitulation.
- Discussion of diverse bioengineered BBB models and their applications.
Main Results:
- Microfluidic platforms and bioengineered constructs offer promising tools for creating in vitro BBB models.
- These models closely mimic the structural and functional features of the in vivo BBB.
- Existing models facilitate the study of brain metastasis mechanisms and the testing of anticancer drugs.
Conclusions:
- Bioengineered microfluidic BBB models are vital for advancing brain metastasis and cancer research.
- These platforms enable a deeper understanding of BBB crossing by cancer cells.
- Future prospects involve refining these models to overcome current challenges in cancer therapy development.
