Artificial microorgans: a microfluidic tool for in vitro assessment of toxicity

Artificial microorgans: a microfluidic tool for in vitro assessment of toxicity
Schütte J, Stelzle M
Bioanalysis. 2011; 3(21): 2373-2375. DOI 10.4155/bio.11.230

There is a need for in  vitro models with better comparability with respect to human response for use in preclinical toxicity and ADME studies. Cells cultured in an in  vivo-like environment will show enhanced cell functionality and, thus, a significant response to test compounds. Microfluidic technology offers a toolbox to build ‘artificial microorgans’ and first promising results in microfluidic cell culture have already been shown. Essential developments in the field of microfluidics are still required to offer user friendly ‘plug and play’ solutions. The time has come to develop new gold standards for toxicity and ADME testing and replace unreliable animal models by new in  vitro test systems based on microfluidic ‘artificial microorgans’.