Microchips Pose As Human Kidney Prototypes To Analyse Pernicity Of Drugs
University of Michigan witnessed a breakthrough analytical study by its research team in collaboration with Seoul National University in South Korea which resulted in the contrivance of a microchip which would facilitate the assessment of the effects of diverse drugs on living kidney cells. Although such studies use animals to carry out the testing, they don’t serve the purpose to an optimum level as they are poor prototypes of human kidneys.
Researchers have developed a new chip that consists of two containers capable of distributing various compounds. Within the chip, a polyester membrane with cultured human kidney cells acts as a miniature kidney, filtering substances as they pass through. The testing process involves pushing a drug through the membrane and analyzing the condition of the cells within the chip to assess their response.
In the initial study using this device, the researchers investigated the impact of the antibiotic gentamicin on kidney cells. The results indicated that administering high doses of the drug all at once, rather than releasing it slowly, is preferable for the health of the kidney cells.
Shuichi Takayama, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan, explained that the kidney-on-a-chip allows for simulating the filtering process that occurs when drugs are administered and gradually eliminated by the kidneys. This provides a more accurate method for studying the behavior of medications within the body.
Using an artificial device offers the advantage of conducting numerous controlled tests in a controlled environment. Researchers can also manipulate the flow within the device to simulate different levels of kidney function.
The study revealed that a once-daily dose of the medication is significantly less harmful to the kidney cells compared to continuous infusion, despite both cases delivering the same total dose of medication. These findings can potentially assist doctors in optimizing dosing regimens for gentamicin in the future. Moreover, the study demonstrated the ability of the kidney-on-a-chip device to study the flow of medications through human organs.
Shuichi Takayama emphasized the goal of further improving these devices to achieve real-time monitoring of how medications affect the body. By integrating such devices in the future, researchers aim to obtain comprehensive data on the effects of various medication regimens on human organs.
Ultimately, the development of integrated devices capable of rapid testing on multiple medication regimens is anticipated to provide valuable insights into their impact on human physiology.
