Organ-on-chip model of the human neurovascular unit
October 2018
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, USA
The authors modelled the human neurovascular unit (NVU) using microfluidic organ chips, allowing analysis of the roles of individual cell types in NVU functions. Three coupled chips modelled the influx across the blood–brain barrier (BBB), the brain parenchymal compartment and efflux across the BBB. The system mimicked the effect of intravascular administration of the psychoactive drug methamphetamine and a previously unknown metabolic coupling between the BBB and neurons was identified. This system offers an in vitro approach for probing transport, efficacy, mechanism of action and toxicity of neuroactive drugs.
A linked organ-on-chip model of the human neurovascular unit reveals the metabolic coupling of endothelial and neuronal cells
Kevin Kit Parker, Donald E. Ingber
Added on: 05-25-2020
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.4226
