The research group of Associate Professor Yukiko Matsunaga and Assistant Professor Tadaaki Nakajima of the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, in collaboration with Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., has intestinal epithelium on a tubular collagen gel without using power or special materials. We have developed a method for producing "intestinal chips" that resembles the actual intestine by a very simple method called cell culture.
Since all foods and oral drugs are first absorbed in the intestine, analysis of their absorption efficiency and effects on the intestines is important for verifying the function and toxicity of foods and oral drugs.Conventionally, this test method has been carried out by culturing human intestinal epithelial cells two-dimensionally (2D) on a plastic filter in a plane and using an intestinal epithelial sheet formed.However, since the actual intestinal epithelium has a three-dimensional structure of recessed crypts and protruding villi, the 2D intestinal epithelial sheet was insufficient as an evaluation test to reflect the living body.
The research group focused on the formation of the three-dimensional structure of the intestinal epithelium by the force (stress) generated by the tubular scaffolding being restricted during the formation process of the intestine of the living body.Therefore, when intestinal epithelial cells were cultured on a tubular collagen gel, a pleated structure that was not formed by 2D culture was confirmed.Cell proliferation was active in the recessed part of this pleated structure, and it had the same properties as the actual intestinal crypt.Furthermore, intestinal epithelial cells form microvilli at the apex, but even in 3D-cultured cells, microvilli were densely formed.
The intestinal chip developed this time has a large surface area in 3D like the intestine of a living body, so it can absorb substances more efficiently than the 2D sheet-like structure.Furthermore, it was found that an inflammation inducer can mimic enteritis and the absorption efficiency of the drug can be investigated.It is said that it can be applied to the absorption efficiency test of foods and oral drugs in a form close to the living body and the analysis of the effect on the intestine.
