Breast Cancer Reconstruction: Design Criteria for a Humanized Microphysiological System

Progress in the Application of Organoids-On-A-Chip in Diseases

With the rapid development of the field of life sciences, traditional 2D cell culture and animal models have long been unable to meet the urgent needs of modern biomedical research and new drug development. Establishing a new generation of experimental models and research models is of great significance for deeply understanding human health and disease processes, and developing effective treatment measures. As is well known, long research and development cycles, high risks, and high costs are the "three mountains" facing the development of new drugs today. Organoids and organ-on-chips technology can highly simulate and reproduce the human physiological environment and complex reactions in vitro, greatly improving the accuracy of drug clinical efficacy prediction, reducing drug development costs, and avoiding the defects of drug testing animal models. Therefore, organ-on-chips have enormous potential in medical diagnosis and treatment.

Adipose Tissue in Breast Cancer Microphysiological Models to Capture Human Diversity in Preclinical Models

Female breast cancer accounts for 15.2% of all new cancer cases in the United States, with a continuing increase in incidence despite efforts to discover new targeted therapies. With an approximate failure rate of 85% for therapies in the early phases of clinical trials, there is a need for more translatable, new preclinical in vitro models that include cellular heterogeneity, extracellular matrix, and human-derived biomaterials. Specifically, adipose tissue and its resident cell populations have been identified as necessary attributes for current preclinical models. Adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) and mature adipocytes are a normal part of the breast tissue composition and not only contribute to normal breast physiology but also play a significant role in breast cancer pathophysiology. Given the recognized pro-tumorigenic role of adipocytes in tumor progression, there remains a need to enhance the complexity of current models and account for the contribution of the components that exist within the adipose stromal environment to breast tumorigenesis. This review article captures the current landscape of preclinical breast cancer models with a focus on breast cancer microphysiological system (MPS) models and their counterpart patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models to capture patient diversity as they relate to adipose tissue.

Organ-on-a-chip technologies for biomedical research and drug development: A focus on the vasculature

Current biomedical models fail to replicate the complexity of human biology. Consequently, almost 90% of drug candidates fail during clinical trials after decades of research and billions of investments in drug development. Despite their physiological similarities, animal models often misrepresent human responses, and instead, trigger ethical and societal debates regarding their use. The overall aim across regulatory entities worldwide is to replace, reduce, and refine the use of animal experimentation, a concept known as the Three Rs principle. In response, researchers develop experimental alternatives to improve the biological relevance of in vitro models through interdisciplinary approaches. This article highlights the emerging organ-on-a-chip technologies, also known as microphysiological systems, with a focus on models of the vasculature. The cardiovascular system transports all necessary substances, including drugs, throughout the body while in charge of thermal regulation and communication between other organ systems. In addition, we discuss the benefits, limitations, and challenges in the widespread use of new biomedical models. Coupled with patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, organ-on-a-chip technologies are the future of drug discovery, development, and personalized medicine.