Engineered Human Lymph Node Model Developed

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virgina Tech, in collaboration with the University of Virginia, have developed a bioengineered model of human lymph node tissue to study immune system functions. Published in APL Bioengineering, this model aims to replicate the dynamic fluid flow and cellular interactions characteristic of lymph nodes.

The engineered model, described as a "lymph node-on-a-chip," allows scientists to observe immune behaviors outside the human body. This approach is intended to improve investigations into immune responses and facilitate the testing of new treatments without relying on animal models. Compared to traditional mouse models, the engineered lymph node could reduce research costs and provide results that are more applicable to human health due to its use of human tissue.

The model also has potential applications in personalized medicine, offering a platform to tailor care for individual patients and develop safer, more effective strategies to enhance immune function across various diseases. According to senior author Jennifer Munson, “Cancer metastasis is an obvious area since lymph nodes are a major site of tumor spread. But we’re also looking at areas such as anti-tumor immunity, vaccine testing, viral infections, and autoimmune disorders.”

The study modeled both inflamed and non-inflamed environments, finding that inflammation increased fluid flow and tended to trap immune cells. This insight highlights the importance of fluid dynamics in disease modeling.