Researchers Create Lung On a Chip

ElectricSteve writes "Utilizing human lung and blood vessel cells, researchers have created a device mounted on a microchip that mimics a living, breathing human lung. About the size of a rubber eraser, the device was developed by a team from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and Children's Hospital Boston. Because it's translucent, researchers can watch the processes taking place inside of it — something that's difficult to do with an actual lung. It will be used for testing the respiratory effects of environmental toxins, aerosolized therapeutics, and new drugs. Using conventional models, such tests can cost more than $2 million."

Comments

Science Friday

[Microlith]

For anyone interested, this is the topic of Science Friday on NPR -right now-.

Sweet, a use that isn't lung replacement

[TinBromide]

So before a whole bunch of people talk about implanting a RAID array of solid state lungs in you, or helping people, or finding a better way to assist people with breathing issues, I'm going to give kudos to the submitter for putting the intended purpose of these things in the summary.

That aside, when will we be able to implant a RAID array of solid state lungs?

Re:Sweet, a use that isn't lung replacement

[boneclinkz]

I'm back from processing, and now entirely comfortable with the concept of a redundant RAID array of independent disks. Also, I have newfound confidence in social situations.

I even talked to a girl.

Re:Sweet, a use that isn't lung replacement

[Psion]

I'd be up for a RAID array of solid state lungs if they're more efficient than normal lungs. Up to now, I've been hoping for re-engineered lungs based on those used by birds. I figure the high-efficiency of bird lungs will allow me to opt for smaller lungs and then give me room for a second heart (because it just doesn't make sense to have only one organ doing such an important job). Now with hyper-efficient lungs and two hearts spreading all that oxygenated blood through my circulatory system, I expect to be extra alert and a bit more sharp. Then I'll finally be able to figure out how to make my garden shed bigger on the inside. WHO knows where that could lead!

LungChips

[jayhawk88]

Now available in Regular, BBQ, and Cool Ranch flavors.

hands off our chips!

[slashmojo]

Legions of british couch potatoes were almost moved to protest the inhuman experiments on their national dish.. but couldn't be bovvered.

*phew* lucky I read the summary after..

Hey its friday, gimme a break! ;)

Conventional methods?

[God'sDuck]

"Using conventional models, such tests can cost over $2 million."
 
Conventional methods for testing human lungs? Like, for shackles, hiding bodies and bribing the local police?

Progress

[Ukab the Great]

First I can't stick magnets to my hard drive. Now I can't smoke around my CPU. These new-fangled inventions are killing all my fun.

Terminators?

[ubermiester]

So are we putting the pieces together on our own or is SkyNet reaching back from the future to make us do it..?

What next?

[aBaldrich]

Yesterday we had the story about artificial lungs implanted on rats, today we have this... I think in a week we'll have a story about a computer system, which will be given command over all military hardware...

For whom the bell tulls

[jollyreaper]

Sitting on a lab bench
Came of mad science with good intent.
Environmental toxins
Clear tissues seared by nasty goo!
Twitching under cold lights
shivering as endless tests are run.
Looking quite obscene
If it had a mouth it would probably scream.

Microlung!

Re:Two words...

[mcgrew]

My head just asploded.

recreate

We weren't meant for recreation, we were meant to have fun! Uh, and I doubt these artificial lungs are self-aware. But the artificial lens in my left eye sees a lot better than the real one it replaced did, even if it's not self-aware. I don't think the real lens was self-aware, either.