Stackable titre plates for organ on a chip applications

Jul 14, 2020 2 min read Hardware, Other

Organ on a chip is typically difficult to achieve due to large technical challenges such as fabrication of chips and systems and biological challenges such as co-culture of cells. In this project we have developed a system to stack 12 well plates inserts on top of each other where each plate holds a tissue. We illustrated this approach by creating an intestine model in the top plate, a blood vessel model in the middle plate and a liver model in the lower plate. The respective insert contain specific cell types are developed independently and just before use, the plates are stacked on top of each other where in this case, the complete assembly models the first pass metabolism. The independent development circumvent long term co-culture and medium incompatibilities. The plates are 3D printed in a biocompatible resin and modified with a disc of gelatine where cell are cultured either on top (epithelial and endothelial cells) or inside (hepatocytes). Hence there is diffusional communication from intestine to the lived provided that studies compounds can penetrate the respective barrier. The simple to use system can be modified with any cell type including stem cell organoids and likely neuronal cells.