A comprehensive overview of advanced dynamic in vitro intestinal and hepatic cell culture models

Orally administered drugs pass through the gastrointestinal tract before being absorbed in the small intestine and metabolised in the liver. To test the efficacy and toxicity of drugs, animal models are often employed; however, they are not suitable for investigating drug-tissue interactions and making reliable predictions, since the human organism differs drastically from animals in terms of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of substances. Likewise, simple static in vitro cell culture systems currently used in preclinical drug screening often do not resemble the native characteristics of biological barriers. Dynamic models, on the other hand, provide in vivo-like cell phenotypes and functionalities that offer great potential for safety and efficacy prediction. Herein, current microfluidic in vitro intestinal and hepatic models are reviewed, namely single- and multi-tissue micro-bioreactors, which are associated with different methods of cell cultivation, i.e., scaffold-based versus scaffold-free.

Automated summary

Orally administered drugs are processed in the gastrointestinal tract, absorbed in the small intestine, and metabolized in the liver. Animal models, while commonly used, are not suitable for studying drug-tissue interactions and making accurate predictions due to significant differences in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion between humans and animals. In vitro cell culture systems used for preclinical drug screening often do not accurately replicate the native characteristics of biological barriers. Dynamic microfluidic models, such as single- and multi-tissue micro-bioreactors, offer in vivo-like cell phenotypes and functionalities, allowing for better safety and efficacy prediction.