New single-donor, breathing lung chip mimics the unseen stages of TB

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and Swiss company AlveoliX have developed the first breathing “lung-on-chip” model created entirely from a single individual’s cells. Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), the chip replicates a genetically identical miniature lung ecosystem that mimics the mechanical expansion of human breathing through rhythmic three-dimensional stretching. This innovation overcomes previous limitations where lung models used mixed-cell sources, enabling precise observation of how a specific person’s lung cells and immune system respond to infections like Tuberculosis (TB). The chip incorporates donor-matched immune cells (macrophages) and TB bacteria to simulate the early, unseen stages of TB infection within a consistent genetic environment. Researchers observed the formation of necrotic cores—clusters of dead immune cells—days before lung barrier collapse, providing new insights into TB’s slow progression that is difficult to study in humans or animal models. This personalized lung-on-chip technology offers a promising alternative to animal testing and could be expanded to study