Bio-Engineered Human Prostate Disease Model

This invention is an in vitro human prostate disease model that utilizes microfluidic Organ-on-Chip technology. The model comprises multiple compartments separated by porous membranes, allowing for the co-culturing of essential tissue types involved in prostate diseases. It provides a physiologically relevant environment and enables communication among the different tissue types. This prostate disease model offers a wide range of applications. It can investigate various aspects of prostate disease, including tumor progression and invasion into healthy tissues within the organ and other organs. Additionally, it can explore the role of infectious agents in prostatitis and the mechanisms of benign prostate hyperplasia development. The transparent nature of the chips enables standard microscopy imaging and in-situ monitoring, while color-tagged cell reporters allow for tracking the activities and responses of cells within the prostate chip. This advanced prostate disease model represents a significant advancement in research: a complete organ with complex tissue types and appropriate microenvironments that provides high spatial resolution and throughput capabilities that are beneficial for drug discovery and screening purposes.

Background: 
Current models for studying prostate diseases have limited capabilities. Existing technologies, such as static cell culture using transwells, lack the complexity and physiological relevance required to fully understand the mechanisms and interactions involved in prostate diseases. These models often fail to accurately represent the interplay between different tissue types and microenvironments within the organ, hindering progress in disease research and drug discovery. 

Applications: 

• Prostate disease research, including tumor progression and invasion into healthy tissue
• Study disease mechanisms
• Drug discovery

Advantages: 

• Enables a more comprehensive and advanced approach prostate disease research
• Allows for co-culturing of tissue types involved in prostate diseases while maintaining physiological conditions and enabling communication among the different tissues
• Realistic representation of the prostate organ
• Accounts for microenvironmental factors such as stroma, vascular supply, sensory neurons, and immune system responses
• Enables standard microscopy imaging and in-situ monitoring