Development of a Human Respiratory Mucosa-on-a-chip using Decellularized Extracellular Matrix

The airway mucosa is the first point of exposure to all inhalant materials. It is possible to produce microenvironments functionally similar to airway by using different types of extracellular matrices around mucosal cells, such as an extracellular matrix decellularized from trachea. In this study, we introduced a novel human respiratory mucosa-on-a-chip model that uses decellularized tracheal extracellular matrix to assess functional similarities. We also evaluated the effects of respiratory toxicant based on changes in cell viability, tight junction function, oxidative stress, expression of cell adhesion proteins in the vascular network, mucous secretion, and inflammatory cytokine secretion after treatment. This novel human respiratory mucosa-on-a-chip model is expected to be useful for assessing respiratory mucosa reactions to external bacteria or viruses and inhaled drugs.