Abstract

Linking the Liver – Interconnected Microphysiological Systems

David Hughes, Chief Technical Officer, CN Bio Innovations Ltd

Microphysiological systems (MPS), also known as organ-on-a-chips, are small scale in vitro cell cultures, which through precise control of the cell microenvironment, seek to mimic facets of tissue or organ level function. MPS frequently utilise primary human cells, often cultured in 3D, to obtain highly functional, physiologically relevant models. MPS can be utilised in isolation, but can also be connected through fluidic circuits to create interconnected-MPS that can model the interactions between organs, allowing analysis of molecular pathways and disease mechanisms that may be modulated by organ-organ interactions. Owing to the central role played by the liver in a host of metabolic processes, there are numerous potential applications of interconnected systems featuring a liver MPS. CN Bio Innovations’ LiverChip™ MPS has been utilised for DMPK, toxicology and disease modelling applications. Here data on gut-liver, PBMC-liver and pancreas-liver interconnected MPS will be presented. The application of these systems to drug metabolism, organ-crosstalk mediated by inflammation and infectious diseases will be described.