In an effort to create a human body-on-a-chip, researchers develop female
menstrual cycle in a dish
Orange County, CA -
March 28th 2017 - In 2012, the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration launched the Tissue Chip for a Drug Screening program in an effort to create an accurate system of organs-on-a-chip to replicate bodily functions. These models could accelerate research in a myriad of fields and ultimately provide new treatments to patients.
As part of their research, Northwestern University Medicine has announced their development of a complete female menstrual cycle in a dish. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the EVATAR is made with human and mouse tissue and contains several 3-D modeled compartments, each containing a different part of the reproductive tract. Their eventual objective is to use stem cells from the patient to create an individualized model.
"This is nothing short of a revolutionary technology," said Teresa Woodruff, lead investigator on the device and a reproductive scientist who currently serves as Director of the Women's Health Research Institute at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "This will help us develop individualized treatments and see how females may metabolize drugs differently from males.”The compartments of the device contain the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vagina and liver all connected through small tubes that pump a special fluid that replicates blood through them to simulate the flow of blood. The liver was included in the system for the purpose of drug metabolization. The different organs are able to communicate in the circuit through secreted substances just like a normal 28-day human menstrual cycle. This communication system is what elevates the EVATAR to a higher standard than mere static cells in a dish.
Diseases like endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, and some cancers are all caused from hormonal complications that can be treated, but are likely to involve surgery. With this model of the human reproductive tract, researchers can find the cause of diseases and better approaches in treatment. Cancer, most often studied as by isolated cells, naturally occurs and alters the whole system, making this new method a more comprehensive analysis.
Medications created for these ailments can then be tested by the same system. This technique changes the drug testing process and allows focus on effective allocation of drug candidates from those not applicable. This directs resources to the appropriate ventures and reduces superfluous costs.
To read more about the Evatar, read the study here.
