Real-Time, Continuous Monitoring of Tissue Chips as an Emerging Opportunity for Biosensing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Tissue chips (TCs), also known as organs-on-a-chip (OoC), are emerging as alternatives to traditional animal models for studying disease physiology.
• TCs are increasingly utilized in drug development, with data potentially replacing some animal testing for regulatory submissions (e.g., FDA).
• Current experimental measurements in TCs are primarily limited to immunofluorescence microscopy and off-device assays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the significance of tissue chip technology in biomedical research.
• To explore the advancements and potential of integrated biosensing within tissue chip systems.
• To discuss future challenges and opportunities in the field of tissue chip research.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on tissue chip technology and biosensing applications.
• Discussion of various sensing modalities, including electrical and optical methods.
• Analysis of the integration of biosensors for on-board measurements in microphysiological systems.

Main Results:

• Tissue chips offer a platform for in vitro modeling of human physiology and disease.
• On-board biosensing is an emerging area with the potential to increase the complexity and utility of TCs.
• Electrical and optical sensing modalities are key areas of development for integrated biosensing.

Conclusions:

• Advancements in biosensing are crucial for unlocking the full potential of tissue chips.
• Integrated sensing will enable more sophisticated and comprehensive data acquisition from TCs.
• Further research and development are needed to overcome challenges and realize the future opportunities for tissue chips.