Tuesday, 21 April 2020 12:06

White fatty tissue on the chip for research on obesity and diabetes Featured

Researchers at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen and at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have developed a new organ on a chip: the white fatty tissue on the chip (WAT-on-a-Chip).


Due to the fact that many pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetes or adiposity in humans, in which white fatty tissue is involved, are still insufficiently investigated because most research has been done with animal models, scientists led by Prof. Peter Loskill and Prof. Katja Schenke-Layland have developed a WAT-on-a-Chip.

For their model, the scientists integrated and cultivated functional mature human white adipocytes in a microfluidic platform.  These cells were obtained from plastic surgery. From the preserved subcutaneous fat tissue, primary mature adipocytes were isolated, injected into the microfluidic chambers and cultivated therein. Such cells possess insulin and adrenergic receptors (1). Their main function is the storage and release of triglycerides, which is subject to strict hormone regulation (2).

After quality control, the cells were analyzed for uptake and release of fatty acids. The functionality of the system was demonstrated by exposing the cells to a pharmaceutically active substance (isoproterenol hydrochloride), which has an effect on fatty acid metabolism.

Model of the WAT-on-a-Chip.
Source: Rogal, Binder, Kromidas, et al (2020). Scientific Reports 10:6666


The novel system can be used in basic research, for disease mechanism studies of obesity and diabetes, as well as for research and development of drugs and in personalized medicine. Of particular interest is, however, the model for the integration of white adipose tissue in multiorgan-on-a-chip platforms, because the fat metabolism also has an influence on other metabolic processes that researchers are simulating with modern multiorgan chips. The goal is the human-on-a-chip, which the developers have come one step closer to with the WAT-on-a-chip.

Original publication:
Rogal, J., Binder, C., Kromidas, E., Roosz, J., Probst, C., Schneider, S., Schenke-Layland, K. & Loskill1, P. (2020). WAT-on-a-chip integrating human mature white adipocytes for mechanistic research and pharmaceutical applications. Scientific Reports 10:6666. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63710-4

Further information:
(1) https://viamedici.thieme.de/lernmodule/histologie/fettgewebe+histology
(2) https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/ausgabe-292006/groesstes-endokrines-organ-des-koerpers/