Simple and high-containment lung-on-chip model for studying respiratory viral infections using human primary lung cells.

ABSTRACT: Airborne respiratory viruses, such as coronaviruses and influenza, pose major threats to public health and the economy, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Preclinical research is hindered by models that poorly mimic human tissue structure and function, often relying on immortalized cell lines and low-throughput animal studies. This limits accurate prediction of disease mechanisms, drug effects, and target suitability. Here, we report a custom-engineered, passive-flow, high-containment chip for culturing human primary bronchial epithelial cells (hPBECs) at air-liquid interface (ALI) on a large-area membrane. The dual-chamber microfluidic chip, separated by a horizontal support membrane, is enclosed in a 35 mm sealed Petri dish, enabling safe use in standard incubators without leakage

SUBMITTER: Barata D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12494930 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature