Engineering Tissue Barrier Models on Hydrogel Microfluidic Platforms

Tissue barriers play a crucial role in human physiology by establishing tissue compartmentalization and regulating organ homeostasis. At the interface between extracellular matrix (ECM) flowing fluids, epithelial endothelial are responsible for solute gas exchange. In past decade, microfluidic technologies organ-on-chip devices became popular as vitro models able to recapitulate these biological barriers. However, conventional devices, cell primarily grown on hard polymeric membranes within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channels that do not mimic cell-ECM interactions nor allow incorporation of other cellular compartments such stromal or vascular structures. To develop accurately account different acellular barriers, researchers have integrated hydrogels into setups barrier-on-chips, either substrates inside chip, self-contained devices. These biomaterials provide soft mechanical properties embedding cells. Combining with microfluidics technology provides unique opportunities better recreate barrier including components functionality vivo tissues. Such platforms potential greatly improving predictive capacities systems applications drug development, disease modeling. Nevertheless, their development is without challenges microfabrication. this review, we will discuss recent advances driving fabrication hydrogel multiple models.