Tissue Chip Platforms to Mimic Oral-Systemic Disease Crosstalk

In vitro reductionist systems generally do not possess sufficient complexity to mimic multi-tissue and multi-organ interactions in vivo. However, recent advances in 3-dimentional microfluidic systems – tissue and organ chips - hold significant promise. Some such systems are designed to functionally integrate into a single platform, chips representing different tissues or organs, including the immune system; such multi-component platforms are sometimes referred to as “body-on-a-chip”. The advantage of the chip systems is that they are based on human rather than animal cells and thus, provide readouts reflective of unique human physiology. Tissue and organ chips have been widely used for many applications, including drug/toxicity screening and disease modeling, and they offer exciting opportunities for investigation of oral-systemic disease interactions.

Traditionally, in vitro reductionist systems fail to replicate the complex interactions between multiple tissues and organs that occur in vivo, and this also holds for the interactions between oral and systemic diseases. However, recent advancements in 3-dimensional microfluidic systems, such as tissue and organ chips, represent a significant breakthrough in modeling these interactions. These chips can integrate several tissue or organ components, including the immune system, into a single platform, referred to as "body-on-a-chip" systems. The use of human cells in these chips provides a more physiologically relevant readout than traditional animal-based in vitro models.

Oral and systemic diseases often interact in complex and varied ways, and the development of tissue chip platforms to model these interactions is a rapidly evolving field. These platforms offer exciting opportunities to investigate the mechanisms of oral-systemic disease interactions, and may ultimately enhance the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Additionally, the use of tissue and organ chips may reduce the need for animal models, thus addressing ethical concerns surrounding animal experimentation.

This Research Topic aims to compile the latest and most innovative research on tissue chip platforms designed to model the crosstalk between oral and systemic diseases. We welcome submissions of original articles, clinical trials, case series, case reports, short communications, and review articles that highlight research advances in utilizing tissue chip technology in oral-systemic disease interactions. Some key areas of focus include the development of novel tissue chip models to: study the pathophysiology of oral-systemic diseases, test novel drugs and therapies, and develop prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. Ultimately, this collection seeks to provide a comprehensive view of the novel applications of tissue chip platforms in oral-systemic disease research and accelerate the development of effective, personalized treatments.