PMID- 38008744
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20231128
LR  - 20231129
IS  - 2045-8118 (Electronic)
IS  - 2045-8118 (Linking)
VI  - 20
IP  - 1
DP  - 2023 Nov 27
TI  - Microfluidic models of the neurovascular unit: a translational view.
PG  - 86
LID - 10.1186/s12987-023-00490-9 [doi]
LID - 86
AB  - The vasculature of the brain consists of specialized endothelial cells that form 
      a blood-brain barrier (BBB). This barrier, in conjunction with supporting cell 
      types, forms the neurovascular unit (NVU). The NVU restricts the passage of 
      certain substances from the bloodstream while selectively permitting essential 
      nutrients and molecules to enter the brain. This protective role is crucial for 
      optimal brain function, but presents a significant obstacle in treating 
      neurological conditions, necessitating chemical modifications or advanced drug 
      delivery methods for most drugs to cross the NVU. A deeper understanding of NVU 
      in health and disease will aid in the identification of new therapeutic targets 
      and drug delivery strategies for improved treatment of neurological disorders.To 
      achieve this goal, we need models that reflect the human BBB and NVU in health 
      and disease. Although animal models of the brain's vasculature have proven 
      valuable, they are often of limited translational relevance due to interspecies 
      differences or inability to faithfully mimic human disease conditions. For this 
      reason, human in vitro models are essential to improve our understanding of the 
      brain's vasculature under healthy and diseased conditions. This review delves 
      into the advancements in in vitro modeling of the BBB and NVU, with a particular 
      focus on microfluidic models. After providing a historical overview of the field, 
      we shift our focus to recent developments, offering insights into the latest 
      achievements and their associated constraints. We briefly examine the importance 
      of chip materials and methods to facilitate fluid flow, emphasizing their 
      critical roles in achieving the necessary throughput for the integration of 
      microfluidic models into routine experimentation. Subsequently, we highlight the 
      recent strides made in enhancing the biological complexity of microfluidic NVU 
      models and propose recommendations for elevating the biological relevance of 
      future iterations.Importantly, the NVU is an intricate structure and it is 
      improbable that any model will fully encompass all its aspects. Fit-for-purpose 
      models offer a valuable compromise between physiological relevance and 
      ease-of-use and hold the future of NVU modeling: as simple as possible, as 
      complex as needed.
CI  - (c) 2023. The Author(s).
FAU - Wevers, Nienke R
AU  - Wevers NR
AD  - MIMETAS BV, De Limes 7, Oegstgeest, 2342 DH, The Netherlands. 
      n.wevers@mimetas.com.
FAU - De Vries, Helga E
AU  - De Vries HE
AD  - Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience - 
      Neuroinfection and Neuroinflammation, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the 
      Netherlands.
LA  - eng
GR  - 667375/Horizon 2020/
GR  - 813294/Horizon 2020/
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
DEP - 20231127
PL  - England
TA  - Fluids Barriers CNS
JT  - Fluids and barriers of the CNS
JID - 101553157
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Microfluidics
MH  - Endothelial Cells
MH  - Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism
MH  - Brain/blood supply
MH  - *Nervous System Diseases
PMC - PMC10680291
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Blood-brain barrier
OT  - In vitro models
OT  - Microfluidics
OT  - Neurovascular unit
OT  - Organ-on-a-chip
COIS- Nienke R. Wevers is an employee of MIMETAS BV, which markets the OrganoPlate.
EDAT- 2023/11/27 00:43
MHDA- 2023/11/28 06:42
PMCR- 2023/11/27
CRDT- 2023/11/26 23:33
PHST- 2023/07/14 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2023/11/15 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2023/11/28 06:42 [medline]
PHST- 2023/11/27 00:43 [pubmed]
PHST- 2023/11/26 23:33 [entrez]
PHST- 2023/11/27 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 10.1186/s12987-023-00490-9 [pii]
AID - 490 [pii]
AID - 10.1186/s12987-023-00490-9 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Fluids Barriers CNS. 2023 Nov 27;20(1):86. doi: 10.1186/s12987-023-00490-9.