Advances of 3D Cell Co-Culture Technology Based on Microfluidic Chips

Abstract

Cell co-culture technology aims to study the communication mechanism between cells and to better reveal the interactions and regulatory mechanisms involved in processes such as cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and other cellular activities. This is achieved by simulating the complex organismic environment. Such studies are of great significance for understanding the physiological and pathological processes of multicellular organisms. As an emerging cell cultivation technology, 3D cell co-culture technology, based on microfluidic chips, can efficiently, rapidly, and accurately achieve cell co-culture. This is accomplished by leveraging the unique microchannel structures and flow characteristics of microfluidic chips. The technology can simulate the native microenvironment of cell growth, providing a new technical platform for studying intercellular communication. It has been widely used in the research of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and other fields. In this review, we summarize and provide insights into the design of cell co-culture systems on microfluidic chips, the detection methods employed in co-culture systems, and the applications of these models.