Application of Miniature Organs in<br>Drug Discovery and Risk Assessment
Application of Miniature Organs in Drug Discovery and Risk Assessment
MPS-Based Hepatotoxicity Prediction Systems
Microphysiological Systems (MPS) are cell culture platforms designed to replicate the microenvironment of
living organisms, enabling the precise modeling of organ-specific functions and diseases. In current drug
development, preclinical studies predominantly rely on animal models; however, species differences often
lead to discrepancies, resulting in frequent trial discontinuations during clinical phases. Our goal is to
develop an alternative drug toxicity assessment system by incorporating physiological substance influxes that
mimic actual tissues and utilizing hepatocytes with metabolic profiles closely resembling those in vivo,
thereby reducing the reliance on animal experiments.
Small Intestine Model for Host-Microbe Interaction
The intestinal tract in vivo contains over 1000 types of gut microbiota, intestinal epithelial cells,
immune cells, and mucin layers that provides a barrier function against foreign substances.
We are constructing an in vitro intestinal model that reproduces these components, with efforts
focused on examining the anti-inflammatory effects of lactobacilli. Our model is
expected to be applied in future research on various diseases associated with gut microbiota,
as well as in the functional evaluation of foods and pharmaceuticals.
