About the Scalable Microphysiological Systems
The interplay between liver function, glucose regulation, and insulin secretion lies at the heart of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity-related conditions. At InSphero, we have supported for more than a decade drug discovery by replicating diabetic as well as fatty liver disease states in human microtissues. However, we wanted to add another layer of complexity by faithfully replicating interactions between Liver and Islet Microtissues. Here, we present a novel approach utilizing a microfluidic multi-tissue system to explore the crosstalk between the human liver and islet tissues under various metabolic states.
Employing our custom Akuraâ„¢ Flow MPS platforms, we can co-culture 3D human liver and islet microtissues. By manipulating glucose and free fatty acid concentrations, we induced metabolic perturbations representative of disease states.
Our investigations unveiled the nuanced dialogue between liver and islet tissues. Elevated glucose, alone or in combination with FFAs, elicited hyperinsulinemia, a hallmark of insulin resistance. Prolonged hyperinsulinemia precipitated steatosis in liver microtissues, underscoring the role of insulin dysregulation in metabolic dysfunction. Furthermore, our model captured key features of beta cell dysfunction, shedding light on the progression of type 2 diabetes.
This showcases the potential of our Akuraâ„¢ Flow and Twin MPS platforms as a versatile and scalable platform for elucidating the intricacies of liver-islet crosstalk.
Download the poster about InSphero's Scalable Microphysiological Systems
