Placenta-on-a-Chip
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a “placenta-on-a-chip” device that mimics the functions of this complex and little understood organ. “The new device, which is constructed largely from clear silicone, is about the size of a flash drive. It contains two layers of human cells – trophoblast cells and endothelial cells – which are used to model the interface between a mother and growing fetus. Microfluidic channels are connected to each of the layers, allowing researchers to study how molecules are blocked by, or transported across the barrier.” This tool could lead to better solutions for preterm births, but it could also advance insights into the placental cancer known as gestational trophoblastic disease. MORE
Image Credit: University of Pennsylvania