Development of Skin-On-A-Chip Platforms for Different Utilizations: Factors to Be Considered

Abstract

There is increasing interest in miniaturized technologies in diagnostics, therapeutic testing, and biomedicinal fundamental research. The same is true for the dermal studies in topical drug development, dermatological disease pathology testing, and cosmetic science. This review aims to collect the recent scientific literature and knowledge about the application of skin-on-a-chip technology in drug diffusion studies, in pharmacological and toxicological experiments, in wound healing, and in fields of cosmetic science (ageing or repair). The basic mathematical models are also presented in the article to predict physical phenomena, such as fluid movement, drug diffusion, and heat transfer taking place across the dermal layers in the chip using Computational Fluid Dynamics techniques. Soon, it can be envisioned that animal studies might be at least in part replaced with skin-on-a-chip technology leading to more reliable results close to study on humans. The new technology is a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods used in research institutes, university labs, and industry. With this article, the authors would like to call attention to a new investigational family of platforms to refresh the researchers’ theranostics and preclinical, experimental toolbox.

Experimental Models to Study Skin Wound Healing with a Focus on Angiogenesis

“…Especially in topical dermatological or cosmetic drug testing, there has long been a call to reduce the use of animal skin models. Recently, skin-or wound-on-a-chip platforms are described as microfluidic technologies [125]. Microfluidic technology offers the possibility to precisely control the fluidic connections and thus the communication between different tissue chambers on the smallest scale [117,125].…”

“…Recently, skin-or wound-on-a-chip platforms are described as microfluidic technologies [125]. Microfluidic technology offers the possibility to precisely control the fluidic connections and thus the communication between different tissue chambers on the smallest scale [117,125]. Micronization of these assays can significantly reduce the cost of experimental setups and general cell or tissue consumption.…”

Recent Progress in Skin‐on‐a‐Chip Platforms

“…A microfluidic system allows the precise control of various parameters, such as mechanical forces, medium flow, and gradients of biochemicals. [19] Skin tissues with matured skin layers and appendages can also be integrated into a microfluidic device to develop a skin-on-a-chip (SOC) platform. This technology can be used to construct different types of healthy or skin disease models for investigating the toxicity of drugs and cosmetics.…”

Development of an Aged Full-Thickness Skin Model Using Flexible Skin-on-a-Chip Subjected to Mechanical Stimulus Reflecting the Circadian Rhythm

“…However, cosmetic toxicity testing on animals was banned by the European Commission in 2013 because of cost, time, and ethical considerations, and the number of countries outside the European Union in which this is banned is increasing. “Skin-on-a-chip” was thus developed to replace animal experiments and create a model using human skin equivalents in vitro in three-dimensional (3D) culture to mimic the human physiological environment [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Cells are supplied with culture medium via a microfluidic channel in a static 3D environment.…”