Microfluidic 'brain-on chip' systems to supplement neurological practice: development, applications and...

Area of Science:

• Bioengineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Mimicking human physiology is a key challenge in bioengineering.
• Sophisticated brain-on-chip (BoC) microfluidic devices are emerging tools in tissue engineering.
• BoC devices can replicate structural and functional aspects of brain tissue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of microfluidic BoC devices for modeling neurological pathologies.
• To explore the application of BoC technology in understanding disease mechanisms and testing therapeutics.
• To discuss the principles, limitations, and future directions of BoC technology.

Main Methods:

• Utilized microfluidic brain-on-chip devices.
• Evaluated BoC models for neurological conditions including Alzheimer's, glioblastoma, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and epilepsy.
• Discussed the underlying principles and practical challenges of BoC implementation.

Main Results:

• BoC models demonstrate potential in understanding complex neurological pathologies.
• These models can enhance drug testing for regenerative medicine applications.
• The study identified practical limitations hindering the clinical translation of organ-on-chip technology.

Conclusions:

• Brain-on-chip technology is a versatile tool for advancing neurological disease research.
• BoC devices can broaden understanding of pathophysiological and therapeutic uncertainties in neurological disorders.
• Further attention is needed to address limitations for large-scale clinical applicability.