Human Microcapillary in Multiorgan Chip Will Facilitate Drug Testing

Novel organ-on-chip in vitro technologies are currently under development in an effort to replace animal testing with human relevant methods. However, in order to simulate in vitro the physiological complexity of human organs, the presence of the vascular system must be taken into account.  A group of scientists has recently developed a multiorgan chip device characterized by the presence of a human microcapillary system composed of adipose-derived stromal cells (cells of the connective tissue) co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which were able to form tube-like structures. This new device might be suitable to test substances’ effects in vitro under more physiologically meaningful conditions.