内置免疫系统的微型“肺芯片”问世 能像真实器官一样主动防御病原体

Core Insights - The collaboration between Georgia Institute of Technology and Vanderbilt University has led to the development of the world's first micro "lung chip" with an integrated immune system, which can actively defend against pathogens, potentially revolutionizing disease research and reducing reliance on animal testing [1][2] Group 1: Technological Breakthrough - The new lung chip is capable of simulating the immune response to infections, inflammation, and self-repair processes, overcoming previous technical challenges related to the survival and functionality of immune cells within the chip [1] - The chip demonstrated a highly similar immune response to human lungs during influenza virus attack experiments, accurately replicating the pathological processes [1] Group 2: Research Applications - This innovative lung chip opens new avenues for preclinical research, allowing for a deeper understanding of the interactions between immune responses and viral infections, as well as the evaluation of antiviral drug efficacy [2] - The chip can be utilized to study various diseases, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and tuberculosis, and there are plans to integrate immune organs to simulate the collaboration between the lungs and the systemic immune system [2] Group 3: Future Goals - The long-term objective is to achieve personalized medicine by constructing chips using patients' own cells to predict the most effective treatment strategies [2]