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?

LungChips

[jayhawk88]

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

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!