Long-term maintenance of a microfluidic 3D human liver sinusoid

Authors:
Prodanov L1, Jindal R1, Bale SS1, Hegde M1, McCarty WJ1, Golberg I1, Bhushan A1, Yarmush ML2,3, Usta OB4
In:
Source: Biotechnol Bioeng
Publication Date: (2016)
Issue: 113(1): 241-6
Cells used in publication:
Hepatocyte, human
Species: human
Tissue Origin: liver
Experiment


Abstract

The development of long-term human organotypic liver-on-a-chip models for successful prediction of toxic response is one of the most important and urgent goals of the NIH/DARPA's initiative to replicate and replace chronic and acute drug testing in animals. For this purpose, we developed a microfluidic chip that consists of two microfluidic chambers separated by a porous membrane. The aim of this communication is to demonstrate the recapitulation of a liver sinusoid-on-a-chip, using human cells only for a period of 28 days. Using a step-by-step method for building a 3D microtissue on-a-chip, we demonstrate that an organotypic in vitro model that reassembles the liver sinusoid microarchitecture can be maintained successfully for a period of 28 days. In addition, higher albumin synthesis (synthetic) and urea excretion (detoxification) were observed under flow compared to static cultures. This human liver-on-a-chip should be further evaluated in drug-related studies.