Development of brain-on-a-chip microplataforms for in vitro modeling of the central nervous system

Abstract

The concept of organ-on-a-chip refers to different types of in vitro modeling or reproduction of tissues and organs by combining cells and biocompatible material. This approach has become an attractive alternative for various studies, such as drug testing. The initial push was the worldwide effort to reduce the number of lab animals used in research, by the application of the 3R's - replacement, reduction, and refinement, although organs-on-a-chip have proven to have broader applications, such as the study organ development and drug testing. Microplataforms to model the central nervous system (CNS), known as brain-on-a-chip, have also been developed, as a combination of neural stem cells or induced pluripotency stem cells (iPSCs) cultured on biocompatible materials with the introduction of microfluidic chambers to mimic blood flow and the blood-brain-barrier, and the cerebrospinal fluid. Brain-on-a-chip microplataforms used for in vitro studies of the CNS allow several different applications such as drug testing and the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. In this scenario, our goal is to develop microplataforms to study CNS normal development, cellular and molecular mechanisms of disorders of the CNS, and neuronal connectivity, using 3D bioprinting, microfluidic chambers and microelectrode arrays (MEAs). (AU)