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Published on: April 30, 2021
Microfabricated Organ-Specific Models of Tumor Microenvironments
Jeong Min Oh1, Yongkuk Park2, Jungwoo Lee2,3,4
1Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA;
Abstract:
Despite the advances in detection, diagnosis, and treatments, cancer remains a lethal disease, claiming the lives of more than 600,000 people in the United States alone in 2024. To accelerate the development of new therapeutic strategies with improved responses, significant efforts have been made to develop microfabricated in vitro models of tumor microenvironments (TMEs) that address the limitations of animal-based cancer models. These models incorporate several advanced tissue engineering techniques to better reflect the organ- and patient-specific TMEs. Additionally, microfabricated models integrated with next-generation single-cell omics technologies provide unprecedented insights into patient's cellular and molecular heterogeneity and complexity. This review provides an overview of the recent understanding of cancer development and outlines the key TME elements that can be captured in microfabricated models to enhance their physiological relevance. We highlight the recent advances in microfabricated cancer models that reflect the unique characteristics of their organs of origin or sites of dissemination.
Insights
Microfabricated tumor microenvironment (TME) models offer advanced in vitro cancer research tools, overcoming animal model limitations. These models, combined with single-cell omics, enhance understanding of tumor complexity for better cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Cancer remains a significant global health challenge despite advances in detection and treatment.
- Traditional animal models for cancer research have limitations in fully replicating human tumor complexity.
- Microfabricated in vitro models are emerging as promising alternatives to study tumor microenvironments (TMEs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in microfabricated in vitro models of TMEs.
- To highlight the integration of these models with single-cell omics technologies.
- To discuss the potential of these models in accelerating the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Tissue engineering techniques to create organ- and patient-specific TMEs.
- Microfabrication technologies for developing advanced in vitro cancer models.
- Integration of next-generation single-cell omics technologies for detailed analysis.
Main Results:
- Microfabricated TME models better reflect the physiological relevance of human tumors.
- These models provide unprecedented insights into cellular and molecular heterogeneity.
- Recent advances enable models that capture organ-specific characteristics of tumors.
Conclusions:
- Microfabricated TME models are crucial for overcoming limitations of animal models.
- Integration with omics technologies offers deeper understanding of cancer complexity.
- These advanced models hold significant promise for developing more effective cancer treatments.
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