|
|
|
|
Avoiding the Crisis of Research Funding Cuts
The United States’ (US) National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging the use of microphysiological systems (MPSs) under its new funding policy.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is phasing out animal testing requirements.
|
|
This year has witnessed a series of announcements that are reshaping the research environment in the US, a global leader in life sciences. This April, the FDA announced a phased reduction in animal testing requirements for drug development. In the same month, NIH also announced a new initiative to prioritize human-based research technologies and announced in June that it would no longer fund research proposals relying solely on animal testing.
Considering these developments, we will introduce research papers related to prominent MPSs, which are human-based research technologies.
|
|
Bacterial Infection Models Using MPS
|
|
|
|
Mechanopathology of biofilm-like Mycobacterium tuberculosis cords.
Mishra R, et al. Cell. 2023 Nov 9;186(23):5135-5150.e28. PMID: 37865090.
A lung-on-chip model was developed by coating an MPS device with collagen and fibronectin to form a matrix. This matrix was seeded with lung epithelial cells, vascular endothelial cells, and macrophages. Biofilm-like cord formation, which contributes to the pathogenicity of tuberculosis, and its role in antibiotic resistance were evaluated using the infection model.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dynamic persistence of UPEC intracellular bacterial communities in a human bladder-chip model of urinary tract infection.
Sharma K, et al. Elife. 2021 Jul 5;10:e66481. PMID: 34219648.
A bladder-chip model was developed by coating an MPS device with collagen and fibronectin, followed by seeding with bladder epithelial and bladder microvascular endothelial cells. The model was applied to assess the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in response to uropathogenic Escherichia coli infection and intracellular bacterial communities contributing to antibiotic resistance.
|
|
|
|
Additional infection models using MPSs were used in multiple other studies.
|
|
Accessible homeostatic gastric organoids reveal secondary cell type-specific host-pathogen interactions in Helicobacter pylori infections.
Hofer M, et al. Nat Commun. 2025 Mar 20;16(1):2767. PMID: 40113752.
In this study, a gastric organoid-on-chip model was created by forming a collagen–Matrigel matrix and seeding organoid-derived gastric cells on the matrix within the MPS device to mimic gastric pits. The model was used to evaluate the formation of a microenvironment that protects Helicobacter pylori against gastric acid and also to study host–pathogen interactions
|
|
Tri-culture model of intestinal epithelial cell, macrophage, and bacteria for the triggering of inflammatory bowel disease on a microfluidic device.
Tamura S, et al. Eur J Cell Biol. 2025 Jun;104(2):151495. PMID: 40409019.
An intestine-on-chip model was developed by coating an MPS device with collagen and seeding it with intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. The model was used to assess epithelial barrier destruction and cytokine induction by E. coli.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MPS Construction for Various Tissues
|
|
|
|
Applicability of Artificial Vascularized Liver Tissue to Proteomic Analysis.
Mori N, Kida YS. Micromachines (Basel). 2021 Apr 11;12(4):418. PMID: 33920367.
Vascularized tubular liver-like tissue was created in an MPS device using collagen matrix containing liver cancer cells, vein endothelial cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. The model was evaluated for its applicability in proteomic analysis by comparing the expression levels of drug metabolism-related proteins in tubular liver tissues with those in conventional 2-dimensional culture.
|
|
|
|
Additional tissue-specific MPS models were developed in other research papers.
|
|
Homeostatic mini-intestines through scaffold-guided organoid morphogenesis.
Nikolaev M, et al. Nature. 2020 Sep;585(7826):574-578. PMID: 32939089.
This study created mini-intestines by forming collagen–Matrigel matrix with laser-sculpted crypt-like indentations seeded with intestinal organoid-derived cells. Mini-bile duct tubes and mini-airways were also developed.
|
|
Bioengineered Tubular Biliary Organoids.
Elci BS, et al. Adv Healthc Mater. 2024 Mar;13(8):e2302912. PMID: 38128045.
Tubular biliary organoids were created in an MPS device using collagen–Matrigel matrix with laser-ablated channels seeded with bile duct organoid-derived cells. Coculture with stromal and vein endothelial cells was also evaluated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coating and Matrix Formation in MPS Devices
|
|
|
|
Collagen acidic solution 50 mL/bottle
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ready-to-use products are recommended for organoid and 3D cultures
|
|
|
|
3D Ready Atelocollagen 12 mL/bottle
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We plan to participate in the annual meeting of the Cancer Association in September 2025. Please visit us at the venue to see our Atelocollagen products.
|
|
84th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association
Dates: September 25 (Thurs.)–27 (Sat.) 2025
Venue: Ishikawa Ongakudo and others
Booth: TBD
|
|
|
|
|
|
