Jiaxiang Yin

Alveolus-on-a-chip represents a significant advancement to mimic the architecture and function of the human alveoli for research and therapeutic applications. These micro-engineered systems combine living cells with microfluidic technology to simulate the mechanical, biochemical, and physiological microenvironment of the alveoli. In 2010, Ingber et al. developed the first lung-on-a-chip system (Fig. 6A) [109, 110].

Introduction Donor islet cell transplantation is an established therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes that is currently offered to patients who suffer from repeated episodes of hypoglycemia (Robertson, 2010; de Kort et al., 2011). Islet transplant recipients have improved glucose control, can stay free from exogenous insulin for up to several years post-transplantation and report increased quality of life.