Design strategy primer for organ-on-chips

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Tissue Engineering
• In Vitro Models

Background:

• Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technology offers advanced in vitro replication of human organ physiology and pathophysiology.
• OoCs serve as valuable tools for disease modeling, drug screening, and tissue engineering, creating biological digital twins.
• A gap exists in accessible literature detailing fundamental OoC design principles, crucial for new researchers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of Organ-on-a-chip design and fabrication.
• To serve as a foundational guide for researchers new to OoC technology.
• To consolidate information on OoC historical development, scaffold characteristics, design strategies, and future prospects.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of Organ-on-a-chip research publications.
• Analysis of historical development and technological advancements in OoCs.
• Synthesis of design principles, fabrication strategies, and guidelines for OoC development.

Main Results:

• Detailed exploration of OoC historical evolution and scaffold characteristics.
• Presentation of conceptualization and fabrication design strategies for OoCs.
• Inclusion of design mechanisms and guidelines derived from recent research.

Conclusions:

• This paper offers a foundational introduction to Organ-on-a-chip design and fabrication.
• It addresses the need for accessible information on fundamental OoC principles for new investigators.
• The review highlights future directions and challenges in the Organ-on-a-chip field.