Haematopoietic stem cells in an organ-on-a-chip system for longterm ionising radiation studies

Long-term, low-dose rate (LDR) ionising radiation has been found to increase the risk of leukaemia and other haematological effects. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these effects can be useful for guiding radiation protection policies. This study explores the utility of an organ-on-a-chip (OOC) system as a platform for prolonged LDR studies on haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Control samples exhibited a higher population of cells in the primitive state than irradiated samples, revealing a nuanced impact of prolonged LDR exposure on HSC behaviour. RNA profiling further identified differential expression in 166 genes between these samples, offering insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the radiation response. This study underscores the usefulness of OOC systems in advancing our understanding of longer-term responses to LDR irradiation.