The miniaturized total chemical analysis system has been successfully repurposed over the past twenty years or so for engineering cellular microenvironments which more faithfully mimic in vivo conditions for cell- and tissue-based studies. The organ-on-a-chip is a recent outgrowth of this effort, comprising systems that extend beyond microfluidic perfusion culture to allow the establishment of microphysiological systems comprising interconnected multiorgan systems. This presentation will review the development of the organ-on-a-chip over the past decade, and focus on examples from our labs in which we have designed organ-chip systems incorpo-rating means to both monitor culture conditions and quantify cell behaviour.  
 

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understanding what an organ-on-a-chip is

2. Understanding how microfluidics enable dynamic experimental control in studies using organs-on-a-chip