Microphysiological Analytic Platforms (MAPs): Precision Organs on Chip (2018)

Recently, the demand of microphysiological models that will greatly empower clinicians and scientists' capability to examine the function of organs in the laboratory, has generated innovative in vitro 3D tissue models (i.e. organs on chip). However, in order to produce excellent microphysiological analysis platforms, or organs on chip as functional in-vitro organ models or living systems on chip, the convergence of life sciences, engineering, and medicine is the foundation for understanding disease mechanisms and the precision of drug efficacy testing. Numerous multidisciplinary teams are formed for these microphysiological analytic models and have been generating creative activities in microphysiological analytic platforms by integrating precision microengineering and 3D cell culture models, in order to recapitulate microphysiological environments and dynamics. A few excellent groups have demonstrated advanced microfluidic designs to understand complex 3D cellular network behaviors, pathophysiology, the integrated MAPs (iMAPs), or organ on chip. These examples will provide inspiration and groundbreaking solutions for future systems physiology, organogenesis, pathogenesis, or personalized medicine. In this special issue, we recognize the recent progress made in this area. The issue is not only focusd on the review of organs on chip, but also on the progress being made with regards to integrated organs on chip for efficient modeling of pathogenesis, cancer, metabolic syndrome X, neurodegenerative diseases, infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal tracks (GIs) for enteric disease, skin disease, bone disease, and drug testing towards the realization of a whole human body in one device. We place special emphasis on (1) stem cell sources for creating different organ systems, (2) patient-specific stem cells (iPSCs) to generate the network of organoids in microbioreactors, to recapitulate the inter-organ interactions, and (3) innovative smart sensors on chip for systematic analysis on the behaviors of this experimental system with respect to genetic and environmental variables. This special issue results from the excellent contributions of world-leading researchers in organs on chip or integrated MAPs, to develop functional microphysiological 3D models for both fundamental life sciences and translational medicine. The examples are: Radisic's review on “Organ-on-achip Platforms: A Convergence of Advanced Materials, Cells, Microscale Technologies.” Cho's “Three-dimensional ministration of human organs for drug discovery”, Nezhads' “Controlling differentiation of stem cells for developing personalized organ-on-chip platforms,” Kamm's “In vitro microfluidic models for neurodegenerative disorders,” Sung's “Organ-on-a-Chip Technology for Reproducing Multi-Organ Physiology,” Loskill's “Organ-on-a-chip Systems for Women's health application,” Beebe's “An organotypic microvessel model of innate immune response using iPSC-derived endothelium,” Jeon's “Wet-AMD on chip: modeling outer blood-retinal barrier in vitro,” Huh's “Placental drug transport-on-a-chip: a microengineered in vitro model of transporter-mediated drug efflux in the human placental barrier,” Mosic's “Preservation of Cell Structure, metabolisim and biotransformation activity of live-on-chip organ models by hypothermic storage,” and Michael Shuler's “Multiorgan systems for drug testing.” These excellent examples in this Special Issue by world-leading researchers in the field of organs on chip will provide not only insights into functional microphysiological 3D models for both fundamental life sciences and translational medicine, but also, encouragement to accomplish the mission of reliable in-vitro microphysiological models via multidisciplinary attitude which brings together experts in life sciences, chemistry, physio­logy, and engineering. Since the intention of the microphysiological analysis platform is to accomplish quantitative disease analysis and inexpensive drug efficacy testing program for personalized medicine, it is critical to develop extremely reproducible in vitro disease models. As shown in this Special Issue, many groups utilized microengineering for 3D cell culture on chip and primary cells and/or iPSC derived from patients. While we are enjoying examples of organs on chip from these excellent groups' effort, it is a critical time to reflect and find solutions for large-scale production of human cells and precision manufacturing of 3D organs on chip in order to accomplish functional models and the foundation of reliable and predictive toxicity and efficacy assessments of therapeutics. Luke P. Lee is the Arnold and Barbara Silverman Distinguished Professor at the University of California at Berkeley. He received both his B.A. and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. His work at the interface of biological, physical, and engineering sciences for medicine has been recognized by many honors that include the IEEE William J. Morlock Award, NSF Career Award, Fulbright Scholar Award, and the HoAm Prize. His current research interests are quantum electron transfers in living organisms, molecular diagnostics of infectious and neurodegenerative diseases, and in vitro neurogenesis.