Microfluidic devices enable novel means of emulating neurodegenerative disease pathophysiology in vitro. These organ‐on‐a‐chip systems can potentially reduce animal testing and substitute (or augment) simple 2D culture systems. Reconstituting critical features of neurodegenerative diseases in a biomimetic system using microfluidics can thereby accelerate drug discovery and improve our understanding of the mechanisms of several currently incurable diseases. This review describes latest advances in modeling neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. First, this study summarizes fundamental advantages of microfluidic devices in the creation of compartmentalized cell culture microenvironments for the co‐culture of neurons, glial cells, endothelial cells, and skeletal muscle cells and in their recapitulation of spatiotemporal chemical gradients and mechanical microenvironments. Then, this reviews neurodegenerative‐disease‐on‐a‐chip models focusing on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Finally, this study discusses about current drawbacks of these models and strategies that may overcome them. These organ‐on‐chip technologies can be useful to be the first line of testing line in drug development and toxicology studies, which can contribute significantly to minimize the phase of animal testing steps.

中文翻译：

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神经退行性疾病的体外微流模型

微流控设备使得能够在体外模拟神经退行性疾病的病理生理学的新手段。这些片上器官系统可能会减少动物测试并替代（或增强）简单的2D培养系统。使用微流控技术在仿生系统中重建神经退行性疾病的关键特征可以加快药物开发速度，并增进我们对几种目前无法治愈的疾病机理的了解。这篇评论描述了在中枢神经系统和周围神经系统中的神经退行性疾病建模的最新进展。首先，这项研究总结了微流控设备在创建用于神经元，神经胶质细胞，内皮细胞，和骨骼肌细胞，以及它们在时空化学梯度和机械微环境中的概括。然后，本文回顾了集中于阿尔茨海默氏病，帕金森氏病和肌萎缩性侧索硬化症的神经退行性疾病单片模型。最后，本研究讨论了这些模型的当前缺点以及可以克服它们的策略。这些片上器官技术可以用作药物开发和毒理学研究中的第一条测试线，从而有助于最大程度地减少动物测试步骤的阶段。本研究讨论了这些模型的当前缺点以及可以克服它们的策略。这些片上器官技术可以用作药物开发和毒理学研究中的第一条测试线，从而有助于最大程度地减少动物测试步骤的阶段。本研究讨论了这些模型的当前缺点以及可以克服它们的策略。这些片上器官技术可以用作药物开发和毒理学研究中的第一条测试线，从而有助于最大程度地减少动物测试步骤的阶段。