Lung-on-a-chip: From design principles to disease applications

To address the growing need for accurate lung models, particularly in light of respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and the COVID-19 pandemic, lung-on-a-chip technology is emerging as a powerful alternative. Lung-on-a-chip devices utilize microfluidics to create three-dimensional models that closely mimic key physiological features of the human lung, such as the air-liquid interface, mechanical forces associated with respiration, and fluid dynamics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental components of lung-on-a-chip systems, the diverse fabrication methods used to construct these complex models, and a summary of their wide range of applications in disease modeling and aerosol deposition studies. Despite existing challenges, lung-on-a-chip models hold immense potential for advancing personalized medicine, drug development, and disease prevention, offering a transformative approach to respiratory health research.