Alveolus lung-on-a-chip platform: A proposal

Abstract

Respiratory diseases are top-ranked causes of deaths and disabilities around the world, making new approaches to the treatment necessary. In recent years, lung-on-a-chip platforms have emerged as a potential candidate to replace animal experiments because they can successfully simulate human physiology. In this review, we discuss the main respiratory diseases and their pathophysiology, how to model a lung microenvironment, and how to translate it to clinical applications. Furthermore, we propose a novel alveolus lung-on-a-chip platform, based on all currently available methodologies. This review provides solutions and new ideas to improve the alveolar lung-on-a-chip platform. Finally, we provided evidence that approaches such as 3D printing, organ-a-chip devices and organoids can be used in combination, and some challenges could be overcome.