Breast tumor-on-chip models: From disease modeling to personalized drug screening

The past, present, and future of breast cancer models for nanomedicine development

“…The use of tumor cells (forming tumors-on-chips) provides additional advantages when compared with spheroids and patient-derived organoids, including compartmentalization and tight control over spatial organization. Human breast tumor-on-a-chip models, which have already been successfully implemented for drug discovery [106] , can provide for in vivo -like gradients. In a bladder cancer tumor-on-chip model developed by Liu et al [107] , cancer cells were co-cultured with relevant stromal populations - macrophages, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts.…”

“…While these advanced 3D systems currently remain underused, due in part to high associated costs and relative difficulty, we believe that the application of organoid, 3D bioprinting, and organ-on-a-chip technology will support the pre-clinical evaluation of breast cancer nanomedicines, allow early-stage detection of predictive biomarkers and, foster the development of precise and personalized therapies for breast cancer patients [106] , [115] , [116] . Furthermore, the evolution of these technologies will help to implement the “3 R Principle” (reduction, refinement, and replacement) that aims to minimize the use of animals in the laboratory [117] .…”

High performance inkjet printed embedded electrochemical sensors for monitoring hypoxia in a gut bilayer microfluidic chip

“…Meanwhile, human organ-on-a-chip models are becoming popular due to recent developments in mimicking an in vivo-like physiology. However, these microfluidic organ chips need significant technological enhancements that support their functionality for the desired purpose of research whether it is disease modeling, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] drug development, 2,9 toxicology, [10][11][12] or personalized medicine. 13 Sensors play an important role in the continuous monitoring of the physiological or pathological state of these devices [14][15][16] in real time.…”

Boosting the Clinical Translation of Organ-on-a-Chip Technology

“…As widely acknowledged, OoC platforms overcome several of the intrinsic limitations of the more widely-established pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo models, and therefore, are considered an attractive tool for clinical experimentation [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Since the invention of the pioneering lung-on-a-chip by the Ingber laboratory [ 5 ], a myriad of OoC models of tissues and their pathologies have been reported [ 2 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Despite the key insights obtained in academic research regarding cell, tissue, and organ functions, disease pathophysiology, and drug efficacy, the promised expectations of OoC in clinics are far from being accomplished.…”