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Updated: Jul 11, 2025
Microfluidic Co-Culture Models for Dissecting the Immune Response in in vitro Tumor Microenvironments
Published on: April 30, 2021
Organ-on-a-chip models for development of cancer immunotherapies
M Chernyavska1, M Masoudnia1, T Valerius2
1Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach in the treatment of diverse cancer types. However, the development of novel immunotherapeutic agents faces persistent challenges due to poor translation from preclinical to clinical stages. To address these challenges, the integration of microfluidic models in research efforts has recently gained traction, bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo systems. This approach enables modeling of the complex human tumor microenvironment and interrogation of cancer-immune interactions. In this review, we analyze the current and potential applications of microfluidic tumor models in cancer immunotherapy development. We will first highlight current trends in the immunooncology landscape. Subsequently, we will discuss recent examples of microfluidic models applied to investigate mechanisms of immune-cancer interactions and for developing and screening cancer immunotherapies in vitro. First steps toward their validation for predicting human in vivo outcomes are discussed. Finally, promising opportunities that microfluidic tumor models offer are highlighted considering their advantages and current limitations, and we suggest possible next steps toward their implementation and integration into the immunooncology drug development process.
Insights
Microfluidic tumor models offer a promising solution to improve cancer immunotherapy development by better simulating the tumor microenvironment and immune interactions, aiding drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cancer immunotherapy shows promise but faces challenges in translating preclinical findings to clinical success.
- Developing novel immunotherapeutic agents is hindered by the gap between in vitro and in vivo models.
- The human tumor microenvironment and cancer-immune interactions are complex to study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications of microfluidic tumor models in cancer immunotherapy research.
- To analyze current trends in immuno-oncology and the role of microfluidic systems.
- To discuss the potential of microfluidic models for drug development and screening.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on microfluidic tumor models in cancer immunotherapy.
- Analysis of microfluidic applications for studying immune-cancer interactions.
- Discussion of model validation and integration into drug development.
Main Results:
- Microfluidic models enable better simulation of the tumor microenvironment and immune interactions.
- These models facilitate in vitro investigation and screening of cancer immunotherapies.
- Early validation steps show potential for predicting in vivo outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic tumor models present significant advantages for advancing cancer immunotherapy development.
- Addressing current limitations is key for wider implementation in drug discovery.
- Further integration into the immuno-oncology pipeline is recommended.
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