A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal
Microfluidic Organ/Body-on-a-Chip Devices at the Convergence of Biology and Microengineering
Authors: Perestrelo AR, Aguas ACP, Rainer A, Forte G
Publisher: MDPI AG
Publication year: 2015
Journal: Sensors
Journal name in source: SENSORS
Journal acronym: SENSORS-BASEL
Volume: 15
Issue: 12
First page : 31142
Last page: 31170
Number of pages: 29
ISSN: 1424-8220
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s151229848
Recent advances in biomedical technologies are mostly related to the convergence of biology with microengineering. For instance, microfluidic devices are now commonly found in most research centers, clinics and hospitals, contributing to more accurate studies and therapies as powerful tools for drug delivery, monitoring of specific analytes, and medical diagnostics. Most remarkably, integration of cellularized constructs within microengineered platforms has enabled the recapitulation of the physiological and pathological conditions of complex tissues and organs. The so-called organ-on-a-chip technology, which represents a new avenue in the field of advanced in vitro models, with the potential to revolutionize current approaches to drug screening and toxicology studies. This review aims to highlight recent advances of microfluidic-based devices towards a body-on-a-chip concept, exploring their technology and broad applications in the biomedical field.