Microfluidic Organoids-on-a-Chip: Quantum Leap in Cancer Research

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Organoids, also known as self-organized 3D organ-like clusters, represent almost a physiological system for studying cells, stem cells, tissues, and diseases, especially cancer. Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip technology has gained beneficial interest in recent years due to its potential to be a pioneer in developing personalized treatments with a precise control of many parameters such as flow conditions and nutrient supply in a microscale. Further, the dynamic nature of such personalized systems also relies on the ability to easily combine the read-outs from blood samples, urine samples, biopsies, and primary tissues. This fast-evolving innovative technology precisely fit with the concept of precision medicine, which holds an infinite potential for personalized cancer treatments. ABSTRACT: Organ-like cell clusters, so-called organoids, which exhibit self-organized and similar organ functionality as the tissue of origin, have provided a whole new level of bioinspiration for ex vivo systems. Microfluidic organoid or organs-on-a-chip platforms are a new group of micro-engineered promising models that recapitulate 3D tissue structure and physiology and combines several advantages of current in vivo and in vitro models. Microfluidics technology is used in numerous applications since it allows us to control and manipulate fluid flows with a high degree of accuracy. This system is an emerging tool for understanding disease development and progression, especially for personalized therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment, which provide well-grounded, cost-effective, powerful, fast, and reproducible results. In this review, we highlight how the organoid-on-a-chip models have improved the potential of efficiency and reproducibility of organoid cultures. More widely, we discuss current challenges and development on organoid culture systems together with microfluidic approaches and their limitations. Finally, we describe the recent progress and potential utilization in the organs-on-a-chip practice.