A microfluidic blood-brain barrier chip based on a dynamic controllable external electrode is used for TEER real-time monitoring and electroporation research

One major challenge in treating central nervous system (CNS) diseases is the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a highly selective membrane that regulates molecular transport and restricts the passage of pathogens and therapeutic compounds. Traditional in vivo models are limited by high costs, long experimental times, ethical issues, and interspecies differences. In vitro models, especially microfluidic BBB-on-a-chip devices, have been developed to address these limitations. These advanced models aim to more accurately replicate human BBB conditions by combining human cells and physiological flow dynamics. In this paper, we developed an innovative microfluidic system that combines top fork-shaped silver-coated electrodes with bottom ITO electrodes to enable TEER detection and electroporation of the BBB; electrospinning technology was used to construct a biocompatible basement membrane to support the culture of neurovascular cells. The microfluidic device proposed in this paper represents a significant advancement in BBB modeling and provides a multifunctional platform for CNS drug development, disease modeling, and personalized medicine.