Organs on a Microchip

US scientists have developed a microchip that acts as a human organ, lined with human cells and with the ability to move air, nutrients, blood and infection-causing bacteria through its tubes.

Designed to act as an emulator for organs such as lungs, intestines, livers, kidneys and hearts, the chip is currently being used in pharmaceutical trials in the aim of replacing animal subjects, but it is one day hoped the technology will move to pre-clinical trials. The clear plastic chip, no bigger than a USB drive has won a prize for its simple and aesthetically pleasing design.

In related news a report has shown the anti-rejection medicine given to organ transplant recipients, calcineurin inhibitor-based medications, may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

At the moment the theory is still only a hypothesis, with factors such as lifestyle choices still to produce results however the report showed that in patients over 65 years, 11% of the general population had dementia compared with 1.02% of the study subjects [who took the anti-rejection medication].