Researchers Create Living Human Gut-On-a-Chip

cylonlover writes "In an effort to provide a more accurate alternative to conventional cell culture and animal models, researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have developed a microdevice that mimics the structure, physiology, and mechanics of the human intestine. The so-called 'gut-on-a-chip' could help provide new insights into intestinal disorders and be used to evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential treatments."

Welcome

[Sparrow1492]

I for one would like to welcome our new cyborg intestine ovelords.

Re:

[rgbatduke]

And first post too! Impressive!

Re:

[ae1294]

And first post too! Impressive!

Good, good... Your NerdRage has made you strong! Now strike him down and take your rightful place beside me young Sky-walker! Together we shall rule the meme's and crush all who troll before us.

Pfffffffrrrt

[Nursie]

This is just the latest iteration of the high-tech fart joke, isn't it?

Re:

[houstonbofh]

My first though was a 7 layer dip I had a while back that raced through my system like a teenager in the parking lot after "Fast 5."

Next...

[c0lo]

... the "e.coli-on-a-chip"... can't have a good gut model without the symbiotic gut flora [wikipedia.org], can they?

Re:

[ae1294]

What I want to know is what would happen if I eat these chips? Would I have many smaller guts inside my gut? What sort of power would that bestow?

Let me know when they full-scale versions..

[dexotaku]

Let me know when they've got a full-scale version. Replacing my digestive tract [or parts of it] with one[s] that actually work[s] would be nice. =B

Re:

[Vernes]

I for one would welcome a modular digestive system.
Celiac disease, Crohn's disease are just 2 of many afflictions where science still have to find a real solution for.
Just replacing a gut would be awesome, tailor made to be ignored by your immune system.

That's nothing

[Oswald McWeany]

They built a gut on a chip? That's nothing... I built my gut on chips back in the 90's.

The real challenge was laying off the chips to make the gut shrink again.

Virus?

[aglider]

Can this device catch any ... virus? I think so, even if of a different type!

Re:

[Oswald McWeany]

It could probably catch a stomache bug.

Stop thinking here... and start thinking HERE.

[Sneftel]

Forget "brain-on-a-chip" neural simulation FPGAs... The new hotness is "gut feeling"-based reasoning.

This just emulates that old saying...

[cvtan]

GIGO

Wow

[ThatsNotPudding]

No shit?
.
.
.
No, seriously; is there any?

The real use for this technology

[MrBippers]

Summary and TFA seem to skim over the main area where this technology will likely see application--in looking at drug permeability and transport across the intestinal membrane. This is something that gets examined for EVERY orally administered drug and right now this is done primarily with cell culture monolayers of intestinal cells. This model allows for the addition of peristaltic forces and other stressors to give a more physiologically relevant system.