Bioengineering liver microtissues for modeling non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver condition globally.
• Current limitations in in vitro models hinder NAFLD drug development, with no FDA-approved treatments available.
• Understanding NAFLD pathogenesis requires physiologically relevant experimental systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key factors in NAFLD initiation and progression.
• To discuss available cellular and matrix components for in vitro NAFLD modeling.
• To highlight strategies for optimizing the liver microenvironment in biomimetic in vitro models.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on NAFLD pathogenesis and in vitro modeling techniques.
• Analysis of cellular compositions and extracellular matrices for liver tissue engineering.
• Examination of bioengineering strategies including 3D cultures, organoids, and microfluidics.

Main Results:

• Identification of critical cellular interactions and biomolecular cues essential for liver function.
• Evaluation of 3D bioengineered tissues and microfluidic systems for mimicking native liver microenvironments.
• Discussion of strategies to replicate biochemical, mechanical, and physical properties of native liver tissue in vitro.

Conclusions:

• Optimized in vitro liver models are essential for advancing NAFLD research and therapeutic development.
• Bioengineered 3D constructs and microfluidic systems offer promising avenues for creating biomimetic NAFLD models.
• Further research into liver microenvironment optimization is needed to overcome current challenges in NAFLD drug discovery.