“organ-on-a-chip” technologies could not only do away with animal models that have proven disappointingly unreliable, but their ease of use and affordability could speed up the drug discovery process.
The newest of these, gut-on-a-chip, attempts to mimic the physiology, structure, and mechanics of the human intestines. It is roughly the size of a thumb drive and contains a central chamber that houses a pliant, porous membrane lined with human intestinal epithelial cells, producing an artificial intestinal barrier. It can even harbor the microbes normally abundant in our gut’s luminal space. Not only does the 3D chip mimic organ anatomy, the membrane is controlled with a vacuum pump to produce the peristaltic motions that occur during digestion.
Although the gut-on-a-chip is not yet ready widespread for use, it could potentially provide a relatively cheap way to study intestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. And the safety and efficacy of any treatment for gut disorders could be tested on the chip.
You wonder where this technology is going, certainly great for lab rats and mice - who knows we may eventually have a bionic man. It looks like the real positive side of this is in drug development ie assuming these digital environments simulate the human environment, there could be other spin-offs as well like sensor technology.
http://singularityhub.com/2012/06/21/gut-on-a-chip-the-latest-in-scientists-attempt-to-mimic-organs-in-the-lab/
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