Organ-on-chip shows how tumors interact with nerves and blood vessels
On an organ-on-a-chip, researchers can now explore how tumors grow and interact with their surroundings. The chip, a small plate where cancer cells, nerves and blood vessels grow, was developed by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, in collaboration with colleagues at Politecnico di Milano in Italy. It is described in an article published in the journal Proceedings of the National…
Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden, in collaboration with colleagues at Politecnico di Milano in Italy, have developed a miniature model of head and neck cancer called an organ-on-a-chip. This device allows scientists to investigate how tumors grow and interact with their environment, including blood vessels and nerves.
The chip, about the size of a postage stamp, was created by layering a network of cells with blood vessel-like structures and nerve cells, all within an extracellular matrix that mimics the natural environment of the tumor. The matrix's composition significantly influences how cancer cells behave and respond to treatments.
The model demonstrates that tumors in contact with nerves grow larger but are less likely to spread to blood vessels. Conversely, tumors that invade blood vessels are more likely to spread to other parts of the body. The findings suggest that nerves play an active role in regulating tumor behavior and aggressiveness, as well as cancer-related pain.
This organ-on-a-chip technology could be adapted to study other solid tumor types where interactions with surrounding structures are crucial. Beyond advancing our understanding of cancer, the method may also prove useful for drug screening and evaluating treatment responses.
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