Fig. 4

Examples of lung cancer-on-chips. a Microfluidic chip for the study of the role of the stromal cells in tumorigenesis. (i) An in vivo-simulating representation of the TME was achieved by integrating into the same microfluidic device stromal cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells surrounded by a 3D collagen matrix with a channel for the continuous flow of the culture medium. (ii) Overview of the main components interacting with the microfluidic device. Adapted from [153] with permissions from Scientific Reports. b Microfluidic device to recapitulate the metastatic brain niche. (i) Representation of the bTME composed of BM-NSCLC, cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, and primary human brain astrocytes. (ii) Configuration of the seven-channel microfluidic device with its cross-section showing where each cell type is cultured. Adapted from [154] with permissions from Advanced Science. c Multi-organs-on-a-chip for the study of different metastatic sites. (i) Schematic illustration of the multi-organs-on-a-chip comprising the primary site of cancer (the lung, in purple) and the three distant organs (inlet 3, inlet 4, and inlet 5). (ii) Representation of the chip lung structure, where a membrane divides the air compartment from the blood one. Lung cancer cells are co-cultured with human bronchial epithelial cells on the upper side of the membrane, while stromal cells (microvascular endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages) are seeded on the lower side. Metastatic lung cancer cells move along the blood channel to reach distant organs, the brain, bone, and the liver. (iii) Overview of the chip structure composed of three main layers and two microporous membranes. Adapted with permission from [136]. Copyright 2016 American Chemical Society