Simulating Alveoli to Predict Respiratory Diseases
An alveolus is smaller than the head of a pin, yet it’s a critical component of human health. Researchers in London have developed a way to simulate alveoli, allowing them to predict the progression of diseases like tuberculosis.
The “lung-on-chip” helps researchers better understand human breathing to simulate the progression of respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis.
Foto: Smarterpix/anytka
The simulation is based on the “lung-on-chip” model,developed by researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London and the biotech company AlveoliX.
Mini Lung on the Chip
As detailed in the original publication in Science Advances, the model utilizes stem cells, known as iPS cells, from a donor. Various lung cell types were grown from these cells. The chip replicates lung sacs (alveoli), the structures responsible for oxygen intake and pathogen defense. Alveoli are essential for gas exchange and delivering oxygen throughout the body.
The chip also contains immune cells from the same donor, alongside the stem cells.