Biomimetic Organ-on-Chip Platform

Static 2D cultures do not reproduce media flow, tissue interfaces, concentration gradients or mechanical cues, so cell responses in a plate can differ from tissue responses in the body. The Organ-on-Chip platform creates a controlled microenvironment for cells and 3D tissues, combining a microfluidic chip, perfusion system, climate control, optical monitoring and logging of experiment parameters.

Cells are cultured in adjacent channels, on a porous membrane, in a hydrogel or as spheroids and organoids, enabling models of epithelial and endothelial barriers and of vascular, liver, kidney, skin, lung and tumor tissues. Controlled flow sets shear stress, nutrient delivery and metabolite removal; cyclic stretch, an air–liquid interface and oxygen or drug gradients can be added as needed.

Test compounds are delivered on a programmed schedule with adjustable dose, exposure time and sequence. Readouts include viability, cytotoxicity, permeability, barrier function, morphology, biomarkers and inflammatory response; the chips are compatible with fluorescence and confocal microscopy, sampling, immunoassays and molecular biology methods.

LABADVANCE designs the chip, fluidic layout and module set for the specific tissue type, cells, matrix and endpoints. Microliter channel volumes reduce consumption of cells, matrices and test compounds, and replaceable chips let one hardware platform serve different models. Qualification and validation are delivered as a separate project.