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Recapitulating essential pathophysiological characteristics in lung-on-a-chip for disease studies
Yanning Zhang1,2, Xuejiao Wang1, Yaoqing Yang1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Frontiers in Immunology
|March 17, 2023
Summary
Lung-on-a-chip technology offers a revolutionary approach to studying lung diseases by recreating 3D lung structures and microenvironments. This advanced model improves the accuracy of preclinical trials for respiratory conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Respiratory Medicine
- Organ-on-a-Chip Technology
Background:
- Lung diseases pose a significant global health challenge, necessitating improved biological models for research.
- Traditional cell cultures and animal models have limitations in accurately reflecting human respiratory physiology and disease.
- Lung-on-a-chip technology emerges as a promising solution, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review lung-on-a-chip technology and its strategies for recapitulating lung physiology and pathology.
- To analyze methods for capturing essential lung components and functions within microphysiological systems.
- To survey recent applications of lung-on-a-chip in modeling various lung diseases.
Main Methods:
- Examination of key lung pathophysiological characteristics (airways, alveoli, alveolar septum).
- Analysis of strategies employed in lung-on-a-chip research to replicate lung structures and functions.
- Survey of studies utilizing lung-on-a-chip for modeling pneumonia, lung cancer, asthma, COPD, and pulmonary fibrosis.
Main Results:
- Lung-on-a-chip technology effectively establishes 3D multicellular architectures and dynamic microphysiological environments.
- Various strategies have been developed to capture critical physiological and pathological features of the human respiratory system.
- The technology has been successfully applied to model diverse lung diseases, demonstrating its potential in preclinical research.
Conclusions:
- Lung-on-a-chip technology represents a significant advancement in respiratory modeling, offering enhanced accuracy and efficiency.
- Further development, including cross-disciplinary approaches, is crucial for optimizing its potential in understanding and treating lung diseases.
- This technology holds promise for accelerating drug discovery and improving patient outcomes for respiratory conditions.
