World’s first ‘menstrual cycle on a chip’ created

The world’s first ‘menstrual cycle on a chip’ could change the future of research into gynecological problems, scientists claim.

The cube-shaped device, called Evatar, is a palm-sized recreation of the female reproductive tract.

It is made with human tissue cultured from stem cells and contains 3D models of ovaries, fallopian tubes, womb, cervix and vagina, as well as the liver.

The creation of the novel tool marks the first time scientists have been able to mimic the interplay between tissues and hormones.

Researchers plan to use the device to investigate conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, reproductive organ cancers and infertility.

Researchers at Northwestern University have created the world’s first ‘menstrual cycle on a chip’ – called Evatar. Each ‘organ’ is contained in its own brown cube and the blue contains tissues of the ovary, fallopian tube, womb, cervix and liver that are linked together with tubes that pump liquid between them

Dr Teresa Woodruff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, where the device was created, said: ‘This is nothing short of a revolutionary technology.

‘If I had your stem cells and created a heart, liver, lung and an ovary, I could test 10 different drugs at 10 different doses on you and say, “Here’s the drug that will help your Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s or diabetes”.

‘This will help us develop individualized treatments and see how females may metabolize drugs differently from males.’ 

• Groundbreaking new procedure will allow female cancer…
  

  ‘Infertile’ women conceive despite early menopause: Blood…
  

The landmark study shows how the 28-day menstrual cycle can be mimicked using ‘organ on a chip’ technology. 

The researchers used human stem cells to culture a combination of tissues of the ovary, fallopian tube, womb, cervix and liver in the device for four weeks.

HOW EVATAR WORKS

Human stem cells are cultured to create a combination of tissues of the ovary, fallopian tube, womb, cervix and liver.

Each ‘organ’ on Evatar occupies its own brown cube.

The ‘organs’ are all linked together by tubes that pump fluid between them. 

A special fluid pumps through each pea-sized organ to perform the function of blood. 

Ovarian follicles produce hormones in the system, such as estrogen, to regulate tissue function over a 28-day cycle, causing fluids to move through the organs. 

Each ‘organ’ occupies its own brown cube and a special fluid pumps through each pea-sized organ to perform the function of blood.

The organs are able to communicate with each other via secreted substances, including hormones such as estrogen, to closely resemble how they all work together in the body. 

The project is part of a larger effort by the US National Institutes of Health to create a ‘body on a chip’.

It shows for the first time how various reproductive tissues can be grown together in a lab dish with other tissues and observed to release hormones, as found in a normal menstrual cycle. 

The little miniature ovaries allow scientists to control the hormones over 28 days, which they hope will lead to drug testing for individuals, or personalized medicine.

At the moment, Evatar only mimics hormone secretion and does not reflect the full function of the reproductive tract – such as pregnancy – nor does it show how other factors, such as the immune system, may affect the tract.

But researchers say it is an important step in understanding reproductive tissue functions.

It will enable scientists to conduct new drug testing, such as in contraceptives and fertility treatments, for safety and effectiveness on the female reproductive system.

The ultimate goal of Evatar is to use stem cells of an individual patient and create a personalized model of their reproductive system. 

Dr Woodruff said: ‘This mimics what actually happens in the body. In ten years, this technology, called microfluidics, will be the prevailing technology for biological research.’

The microfluidic device is the size of a small lunchbox and has a series of cables and pumps that cause simulated blood to flow between wells.  

Dr Woodruff added: ‘One of the reasons this technology has not advanced in the past is no one had solved the universal media [blood] problem.

‘We reasoned that organs in the body are in one medium – the blood – so we created a simple version of the blood and allowed the tissues to communicate via the medium.’