MORE | Spring 2022

Trophoblast-On-Chip Model

The maternal-fetal interface is challenging to investigate in in vivo models due to species-specific differences in placental development and ethics evaluating placental development in humans during gestation. The research team aims to develop a 3D placental microfluidic culture system (trophoblast-on-a-chip model) to mimic the human placental microenvironment by reproducing key placental microenvironment elements such as trophoblast cells and pancreatic extracellular matrix (ECM) components. The research team designed a 3D printed chip that incorporates dynamic medium flow, with the goal of enabling real-time monitoring of trophoblast cell invasion and cell-to-cell interactions. The team is currently evaluating the suitability of our chip design as a platform to support ECM-mimicking hydrogels and trophoblast cell viability.