Construction and Application of Hepatocyte Model Based on Microfluidic Chip Technique in Evaluating Emodin

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Toxicology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Current cytological evaluation methods for health food raw materials are insufficient.
• There is a need for advanced in vitro models to assess health food safety and efficacy.
• Emodin's toxicological profile requires precise evaluation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel microfluidic chip-based hepatocyte model.
• To assess the toxic effects of emodin using the constructed model.
• To establish a reliable in vitro platform for health food evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a hepatocyte model using human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells on a microfluidic chip.
• Simulation of the cellular microenvironment using rat tail collagen type I and gelatin.
• Evaluation of model validity through cell proliferation and staining assays.
• Assessment of emodin toxicity via metabolic indicators and cell viability analysis.

Main Results:

• The developed hepatocyte model demonstrated favorable repeatability (CV of 2.8%).
• Emodin exposure (100 and 200 μM for 48 h) significantly inhibited cell activity.
• Increased emodin concentrations led to a higher number of dead cells and significant differences in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The microfluidic chip hepatocyte model is suitable for evaluating emodin toxicity.
• This model serves as a valuable in vitro alternative for assessing health food ingredients.
• The study provides a promising platform for predicting the health effects of food supplements.