Spotlight on Understanding Vaginal Microbiome Dynamics with Organ Chips
Researchers used Organ-on-a-Chip technology to investigate the impact of
cervicovaginal mucus on dysbiotic vaginal conditions. The study,
detailed in “Modulation of dysbiotic vaginal complications by cervical
mucus revealed in linked human vagina and cervix chips by Gutzeit et al.
(bioRxiv, 2023) doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.11.22.568273,
highlights dysbiotic changes in the female genital microbiome and their
links to various health issues. The study employed a microfluidic
two-channel co-culture of a cervix chip and a vagina chip, revealing
that cervical mucus collected from the cervix chip protected the vaginal
epithelium on the vagina chip from inflammation and epithelial cell
injury. Proteomic analysis identified potential diagnostic biomarkers or
therapeutic targets for bacterial vaginosis. The research underscores
the utility of organ chip technology in understanding female
reproductive tract health and disease.
Notably, the wide range of cells, media, and coating reagents required for establishing the Organ Chips are available in Europe through CellSystems®:
