Neuropathogenesis-on-chips for neurodegenerative diseases.

Developing diagnostics and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is challenging due to multifactorial pathogenesis that progresses gradually. Advanced in vitro systems that recapitulate patient-like pathophysiology are emerging as alternatives to conventional animal-based models. In this review, we explore the interconnected pathogenic features of different types of ND, discuss the general strategy to modelling NDs using a microfluidic chip, and introduce the organoid-on-a-chip as the next advanced relevant model. Lastly, we overview how these models are being applied in academic and industrial drug development. The integration of microfluidic chips, stem cells, and biotechnological devices promises to provide valuable insights for biomedical research and developing diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for NDs.

In Vitro Tumor Models on Chip and Integrated Microphysiological Analysis Platform (MAP) for Life Sciences and High-Throughput Drug Screening.

The evolution of preclinical in vitro cancer models has led to the emergence of human cancer-on-chip or microphysiological analysis platforms (MAPs). Although it has numerous advantages compared to other models, cancer-on-chip technology still faces several challenges such as the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and integrating multiple organs to be widely accepted in cancer research and therapeutics. In this review, we highlight the advancements in cancer-on-chip technology in recapitulating the vital biological features of various cancer types and their applications in life sciences and high-throughput drug screening. We present advances in reconstituting the tumor microenvironment and modeling cancer stages in breast, brain, and other types of cancer. We also discuss the relevance of MAPs in cancer modeling and precision medicine such as effect of flow on cancer growth and the short culture period compared to clinics. The advanced MAPs provide high-throughput platforms with integrated biosensors to monitor real-time cellular responses applied in drug development. We envision that the integrated cancer MAPs has a promising future with regard to cancer research, including cancer biology, drug discovery, and personalized medicine.