Kidney-on-a-chip simulates the microenvironment in the body through bioengineering, providing an unprecedented powerful tool for kidney disease models and drug toxicity screening. Creative Biolabs currently offers standard and custom kidney-on-a-chip to facilitate your research on kidney physiology and pathology.
Microenvironment and Key Features of Kidney
The kidney is a complex organ composed of more than 20 kinds of cells, including glomerular endothelial cells, mesangial cells, podocytes and specific tubular epithelial cells. Together, these cells filter the blood, control the excretion of toxins and metabolic waste, and reabsorb water and solutes from body fluids. The renal microenvironment provides many cells with growth scaffolds that support normal physiological functions, chemical signals and mechanical stimuli, and these signals affect and regulate almost all cellular functions including cell proliferation, differentiation, polarization, and gene expression. Cells in the kidney are exposed to constant stimuli from fluid flow, adjacent cells, and the extracellular matrix, especially fluid shear stress stimuli from blood flow, the frequency, duration, and magnitude of which vary widely between cells, while each type of cell is highly sensitive to shear stress deviating from normal values.
Fig 1. The microenvironmental characteristics of the kidney are the key to building a kidney-on-a-chip. (Wang, 2022)
Typical Kidney-On-A-Chip Model
As a miniaturized, low-cost bridge between overly simple two-dimensional culture models and expensive and unpredictable animal models, microfluidic kidney chips have been widely used in pathophysiology and toxicity screening platforms. Kidney-on-a-chip research is mainly carried out on the epithelial cell barrier of glomeruli and renal tubules, which are the main anatomical sites for blood filtration and the main structures for realizing kidney functions.
Fig 2. Depending on the simulated physiological structure, the chip often applies different design principles. (Valverde, 2022)
For the in vitro simulation of the two, Creative Biolabs now provides the simplest transwell chip to our customers. This simple design is easy to operate and can be used to evaluate the cell permeability of glomeruli. In addition, due to the intimate contact and continuous fluid shearing of cellular interactions in renal tubules, our dual-channel chip is the most powerful tool for kidney in vitro simulation. The basement membrane modified by biomolecules separates the upper and lower channels, and a continuous and stable fluid shear stress is applied by an orbital shaker and an external pump. The selective permeability of the barrier can also be directly assessed according to the transport of specific proteins. This chip will assist your research as an excellent tool in renal physiology and pathology.
Fig 3. Double-layer chip as a commonly used model for simulating the in vivo structure of the kidney. (Paoli, 2016)
Advanced Kidney-On-A-Chip Model
The simulation of kidney organs mainly revolves around ECM composition, substrate stiffness, confined geometry, and fluid shear stress. The complex combination of these physical environments makes it impossible for a single chip design to fully describe the cumbersome in vivo environment. Microfluidic generators with drug concentration gradients, osmotic pressure gradients, temperature gradients, and oxygen gradients can often provide additional information for research. Fortunately, with our excellent microfabrication platform and microfluidic chip knowledge, Creative Biolabs can improve the basic chip or customize a more advanced, more complex, and more experimental kidney chip and organoid research platform.
Fig. 4 Custom kidney-on-a-chip with unique structures is the best tool for kidney physiology/pathology research. (Wang, 2022)
Our Services
Here at Creative Biolabs, we provide our clients with simple and standardized kidney organ-on-a-chip systems as cell culture and physiology/pharmacology research platforms. Our glomerulus/tubule physiology model reproduces in vivo cell structure arrangement, fluid dynamics, endocrine function and cell metabolism. In addition, we also provide customized services for bionic kidney chips. Through microfluidics, you may explore the interaction between endothelial cells and podocytes, construct transcellular osmotic pressure and electrochemical gradients, and control oxygen content and shear stress. Whether you want to further understand normal kidney function or need in vitro models of pathological assays, our kidney-on-a-chip and custom services will be your most beneficial research tools, so don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
Features and Benefits
Realistic Kidney Function Simulation
Our Kidney-On-A-Chip model replicates the complex physiological and mechanical functions of the human kidney, providing a realistic environment for studying renal function, disease mechanisms, and drug interactions. This model enhances the accuracy and relevance of preclinical studies.
Customizable Microenvironment
The Kidney-On-A-Chip model can be customized to include specific cell types, extracellular matrix components, and mechanical properties, enabling tailored studies that meet specific research needs and support personalized medicine approaches.
Enhanced Nephrotoxicity Testing
The model allows for detailed nephrotoxicity testing by providing a realistic environment where drugs and other compounds can be tested for their effects on kidney cells. This helps identify toxic substances early in the development process, reducing the risk of adverse effects in later stages.
Improved Disease Modeling
The model can replicate various kidney conditions, such as chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury, offering a powerful tool for studying disease mechanisms and testing potential treatments under controlled conditions.
Cost-Effective Research
By providing a more accurate and efficient platform for renal research, the Kidney-On-A-Chip model reduces overall research costs. It streamlines the research workflow and enhances the predictive power of preclinical studies, benefiting both academic and industrial researchers.
References
Wang, D.; et al. Kidney-on-a-Chip: Mechanical stimulation and sensor integration. Sensors. 2022, 22: 6889.
Valverde, M.G.; et al. Organs‑on‑chip technology: a tool to tackle genetic kidney diseases. Pediatric Nephrology. 2022, 37: 2985-2996.
Paoli, R.; et al. Mimicking the kidney: A key role in organ-on-chip development. Micromachines. 2016, 7: 126.
Q&As
Q: How does the Kidney-On-A-Chip model simulate kidney functions?
A: The model simulates kidney functions by incorporating microfluidic channels that mimic the nephron's filtration and reabsorption processes. It uses kidney cells to replicate the physiological conditions, allowing for the study of renal filtration, secretion, and absorption.
Q: How does the model support real-time monitoring?
A: The Kidney-On-A-Chip model integrates sensors that allow for real-time monitoring of various parameters, such as fluid flow, filtration rates, and cellular responses. This capability provides detailed insights into the dynamic processes occurring within the kidney tissues.
Q: How does the model improve the study of renal cell biology?
A: By mimicking the natural microenvironment of the kidney, the Kidney-On-A-Chip model provides an ideal platform for studying renal cell biology. It allows researchers to observe cellular behaviors, interactions, and responses to various stimuli under physiologically relevant conditions.
Q: What diseases can be studied using the Kidney-On-A-Chip model?
A: The model can be used to study various kidney-related diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), and diabetic nephropathy. It allows researchers to observe disease mechanisms and test potential treatments in a controlled environment.
Q: Can the Kidney-On-A-Chip model be customized?
A: Yes, the Kidney-On-A-Chip model can be customized to include specific cell types and physiological conditions relevant to particular research needs. This flexibility supports a wide range of applications, from drug testing to personalized medicine.
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Fig 1. The microenvironmental characteristics of the kidney are the key to building a kidney-on-a-chip. (Wang, 2022)
Fig 2. Depending on the simulated physiological structure, the chip often applies different design principles. (Valverde, 2022)
Fig 3. Double-layer chip as a commonly used model for simulating the in vivo structure of the kidney. (Paoli, 2016)
Fig. 4 Custom kidney-on-a-chip with unique structures is the best tool for kidney physiology/pathology research. (Wang, 2022)
