The failure of animal models to predict therapeutic responses in humans is a major problem that also brings into question their use for basic research. Organ-on-a-chip (organ chip) microfluidic devices lined with living cells cultured under fluid flow can recapitulate organ-level physiology and pathophysiology with high fidelity. Here, I review how single and multiple human organ chip systems have been used to model complex diseases and rare genetic disorders, to study host–microbiome interactions, to recapitulate whole-body inter-organ physiology and to reproduce human clinical responses to drugs, radiation, toxins and infectious pathogens. I also address the challenges that must be overcome for organ chips to be accepted by the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies, as well as discuss recent advances in the field. It is evident that the use of human organ chips instead of animal models for drug development and as living avatars for personalized medicine is ever closer to realization.

动物模型无法预测人类的治疗反应是一个主要问题，这也使它们在基础研究中的应用受到质疑。器官芯片（器官芯片）微流体装置内衬有在流体流动下培养的活细胞，可以高保真度地再现器官水平的生理学和病理生理学。在这里，我回顾了如何使用单个和多个人体器官芯片系统来模拟复杂疾病和罕见遗传性疾病，研究宿主-微生物组相互作用，重演全身器官间生理学以及重现人类对药物、辐射的临床反应、毒素和传染性病原体。我还讨论了器官芯片要被制药行业和监管机构接受必须克服的挑战，并讨论了该领域的最新进展。显然，使用人体器官芯片代替动物模型进行药物开发以及作为个性化医疗的活体化身越来越接近实现。