Skin-on-chip: Quo vadis?

Area of Science:

• * Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
• * Microfluidics and Biocompatible Materials
• * Preclinical Research Models

Background:

• * Limitations of traditional animal models in human medicine, including ethical concerns and accuracy.
• * Advancements in microfluidics and tissue engineering enabling complex 3D cell cultures.
• * Emergence of skin-on-chip (SoC) as a promising alternative for preclinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To provide a critical overview of skin-on-chip (SoC) technology.
• * To discuss the fabrication, applications, challenges, and commercialization of SoC models.
• * To explore the potential of microphysiological skin platforms for personalized medicine and biomanufacturing.

Main Methods:

• * Comprehensive literature review and critical analysis of existing SoC research.
• * Discussion of fundamental concepts, fabrication techniques, and technological challenges.
• * Evaluation of current and future applications in drug screening, toxicology, and disease modeling.

Main Results:

• * SoC platforms offer a cost-effective and ethical alternative for preclinical drug screening, toxicology, and cosmetic testing.
• * Significant challenges remain in achieving full physiological and pathological relevance for complex skin models.
• * Successful clinical and commercial translation requires convergent biomanufacturing strategies and infrastructure.

Conclusions:

• * Skin-on-chip technology holds substantial promise for advancing preclinical research and personalized medicine.
• * Addressing technical and ethical requirements is crucial for the widespread adoption of SoC models.
• * Future development should focus on biomanufacturing strategies to enable applications like personalized disease models and skin grafts.