A similarity scaling approach for organ-on-chip devices

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology
• In Vitro Models

Background:

• Organ-on-chip (OoC) devices are promising for emulating human physiology in vitro.
• Current OoC designs face challenges in biomimicry and clinical translatability due to ad hoc scaling.
• Limited predictive value of OoCs stems from inconsistent scaling approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a systematic approach for OoC design and scaling based on the principle of similitude.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this similarity scaling approach using case studies.
• To enhance the biomimicry and clinical translatability of organ-on-chip devices.

Main Methods:

• Application of the principle of similitude for scaling OoC devices.
• Analysis of lung-on-a-chip, liver-on-a-chip, and gut-liver system case studies.
• Comparison of in vitro findings with clinical data to assess predictive value.

Main Results:

• Lung-on-a-chip and liver-on-a-chip models satisfying similarity criteria showed good agreement with clinical data.
• A gut-liver system failing a kinematic similarity criterion exhibited unphysiological pharmacokinetic responses.
• The similarity scaling approach demonstrated potential for improving OoC performance.

Conclusions:

• Systematic similarity scaling is crucial for maximizing biomimicry and clinical translatability in OoCs.
• This approach can significantly improve the design and operation of organ- and human-on-chip devices.
• Adherence to similarity principles enhances the predictive power of in vitro physiological models.