Traditionally, researchers utilized two-dimensional (2D) homogenous cell cultures to demonstrate drug activities in vitro. The static cell models were considered the best approach for the in vitro simulation of a biological system. However, advancements in modern scientific techniques have provided researchers worldwide with a wide variety of better and more efficient tools. Studies have moved primitive monoculture-based methods to three-dimensional (3D) multicellular culture structures.
3D cultures cater to a biological system’s heterogeneity and fluid and gas dynamics. Overcoming several limitations of a 2D design, 3D moles recapitulate the integral processes occurring in vivo; these include the flow of nutrients, exchange of gases and waste, tissue-to-tissue interaction, etc. Despite their immense benefits, scientists face several issues while integrating these technologies into their workflow.
The cost of engineering, complexity-driven maintenance and repair issues, and so on are some of the problems faced while adopting these technologies. Engineers have developed methods for automation to counter maintenance-related limitations. LATTICE is one such feat achieved by these engineers. Published on 3 October 2023 in the Lab on a Chip journal, the study details research conducted by Northwestern University.
Their new technology can be used to study anything from interaction between the components of a biological system to in vivo visualization of drug pharmacodynamics. LATTICE allows the user to observe cell interaction simultaneously from up to eight origins. This will enable scientists to replicate the workings of an organ system for extended periods. The ultimate objective is to analyze what happens inside a body under certain conditions.
For instance, one might examine the effects of obesity on a particular unrelated condition; the impact of drugs or other external factors in this condition can be studied, as well as its demographic correlation and risk factors. A professor at Northwestern University and a lead scientist of the study, Julie Kim, said, “This platform is much better suited to mimic what’s happening in the body because it can simulate so many organs at once.”
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LATTICE creates a massive advancement, allowing researchers to simulate disease conditions in various organ models and test new drugs without the need to enter or harm the body. In a previous experiment, Kim’s laboratory took the aid of LATTICE to study the condition of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Characterized by hormonal imbalances and metabolism-related issues, the prevalence of this condition in women, along with a lack of its developmental understanding, was a significant cause of concern. LATTICE was able to aid in the study of the pathology of PCOS.
LATTICE consists of a series of structures acting as channels and pumps; they allow media to flow between the wells. Simulating blood and the cardiovascular system, this microfluidic device uses a computer connected to control the media. Human-guided computer algorithms manipulate the media amount in each of the eight wells, where it flows, and when. Developers anticipate the entry of LATTICE in the clinical trial industry as a bridge between preclinical animal studies and phase 1 human studies—drugs showing success on animal testing show complete failure or partial results due to serious adverse events. An intermediate step that simulates the human body can significantly impact drug development.
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