Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research

The skin plays a critical role in human physiology, acting both as a barrier to environmental insults and as a window to environmental stimuli. Disruption of this homeostasis leads to numerous skin disorders. Human and animal skin differ significantly, limiting the translational potential of animal-...

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Main Authors: Sireesh Kumar Teertam, Vijayasaradhi Setaluri, Jose M. Ayuso
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:JID Innovations
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667026724000638
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author Sireesh Kumar Teertam
Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
Jose M. Ayuso
author_facet Sireesh Kumar Teertam
Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
Jose M. Ayuso
author_sort Sireesh Kumar Teertam
collection DOAJ
description The skin plays a critical role in human physiology, acting both as a barrier to environmental insults and as a window to environmental stimuli. Disruption of this homeostasis leads to numerous skin disorders. Human and animal skin differ significantly, limiting the translational potential of animal-based investigations to advance therapeutics to human skin diseases. Hence, there is a critical need for physiologically relevant human skin models to explore novel treatment strategies. Recent advances in microfluidic technologies now allow design and generation of organ-on-chip devices that mimic critical features of tissue architecture. Skin-on-a-chip and microfluidic platforms hold promise as useful models for diverse dermatology applications. Compared with traditional in vitro models, microfluidic platforms offer improved control of fluid flow, which in turn allows precise manipulation of cell and molecular distribution. These properties enable the generation of multilayered in vitro models that mimic human skin structure while simultaneously offering superior control over nutrient and drug distribution. Researchers have used microfluidic platforms for a variety of applications in skin research, including epidermal–dermal cellular crosstalk, cell migration, mechanobiology, microbiome–immune response interactions, vascular biology, and wound healing. In this review, we comprehensively review state-of-the-art microfluidic models for skin research. We discuss the challenges and promise of current skin-on-a-chip technologies and provide a roadmap for future research in this active field.
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spelling doaj-art-7001dacef7c8413396906047c2d9fa882025-01-11T06:42:09ZengElsevierJID Innovations2667-02672025-01-0151100315Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin ResearchSireesh Kumar Teertam0Vijayasaradhi Setaluri1Jose M. Ayuso2Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA; UW Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USADepartment of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA; UW Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; William S. Middleton Memorial VA Hospital. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Vijayasatadhi Setaluri, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA; UW Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Correspondence: Jose M. Ayuso, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WIMR I, Room 3003, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA.The skin plays a critical role in human physiology, acting both as a barrier to environmental insults and as a window to environmental stimuli. Disruption of this homeostasis leads to numerous skin disorders. Human and animal skin differ significantly, limiting the translational potential of animal-based investigations to advance therapeutics to human skin diseases. Hence, there is a critical need for physiologically relevant human skin models to explore novel treatment strategies. Recent advances in microfluidic technologies now allow design and generation of organ-on-chip devices that mimic critical features of tissue architecture. Skin-on-a-chip and microfluidic platforms hold promise as useful models for diverse dermatology applications. Compared with traditional in vitro models, microfluidic platforms offer improved control of fluid flow, which in turn allows precise manipulation of cell and molecular distribution. These properties enable the generation of multilayered in vitro models that mimic human skin structure while simultaneously offering superior control over nutrient and drug distribution. Researchers have used microfluidic platforms for a variety of applications in skin research, including epidermal–dermal cellular crosstalk, cell migration, mechanobiology, microbiome–immune response interactions, vascular biology, and wound healing. In this review, we comprehensively review state-of-the-art microfluidic models for skin research. We discuss the challenges and promise of current skin-on-a-chip technologies and provide a roadmap for future research in this active field.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667026724000638In vitro cultureMicrofluidicsOrgan-on-a-chipSkin models
spellingShingle Sireesh Kumar Teertam
Vijayasaradhi Setaluri
Jose M. Ayuso
Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
JID Innovations
In vitro culture
Microfluidics
Organ-on-a-chip
Skin models
title Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
title_full Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
title_fullStr Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
title_full_unstemmed Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
title_short Advances in Microengineered Platforms for Skin Research
title_sort advances in microengineered platforms for skin research
topic In vitro culture
Microfluidics
Organ-on-a-chip
Skin models
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667026724000638
work_keys_str_mv AT sireeshkumarteertam advancesinmicroengineeredplatformsforskinresearch
AT vijayasaradhisetaluri advancesinmicroengineeredplatformsforskinresearch
AT josemayuso advancesinmicroengineeredplatformsforskinresearch