A Computational Approach for Biomimetic Design of Liver‐On‐A‐Chip

In this study, we present a biomimetic liver‐on‐a‐chip (LOC) device inspired by the structural organisation of the hepatic acinus and developed through COMSOL Multiphysics simulation. The design incorporates antiparallel perfusion channels and microchannel barriers to mimic nutrient delivery and bile drainage in the liver, while maintaining physiologically relevant low shear stress conditions suitable for hepatocyte culture. A truncated LOC model was first used to explore pressure, shear stress, and concentration distributions, revealing that media perfusion minimally perturbs the cell region while bile flow significantly impacts nutrient diffusion. Full‐scale simulations were then performed, demonstrating key discrepancies with the truncated model due to length‐dependent diffusion effects, emphasising the importance of simulating full geometries in transport‐limited systems. The model was validated experimentally with dye‐based flow studies and HepG2 cell culture under dynamic perfusion. Functional validation confirmed that the LOC supports directional solute gradients and cell growth under controlled shear. This integrated in silico–in vitro approach provides a robust framework for the design of organ‐on‐a‐chip systems, reducing development cycles and improving physiological relevance for drug testing and liver disease modelling.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Intelligent Discovery
Published
2026-03-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aidi.202500125
Primary Topic
3D Printing in Biomedical Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

A Computational Approach for Biomimetic Design of Liver‐On‐A‐Chip

Ye Zhang, Zhenxu Yang, Zhejun Xu, Daniele Vigolo et al.
Advanced Intelligent Discovery
3D Printing in Biomedical Research
article

A Computational Approach for Biomimetic Design of Liver‐On‐A‐Chip

Ye Zhang, Zhenxu Yang, Zhejun Xu, Daniele Vigolo, Q. Liu, Ken‐Tye Yong, Qiankun Yin, Xiaochen Liu, Christopher Vega‐Sánchez, Jiao Jiao Li
article en

Abstract

In this study, we present a biomimetic liver‐on‐a‐chip (LOC) device inspired by the structural organisation of the hepatic acinus and developed through COMSOL Multiphysics simulation. The design incorporates antiparallel perfusion channels and microchannel barriers to mimic nutrient delivery and bile drainage in the liver, while maintaining physiologically relevant low shear stress conditions suitable for hepatocyte culture. A truncated LOC model was first used to explore pressure, shear stress, and concentration distributions, revealing that media perfusion minimally perturbs the cell region while bile flow significantly impacts nutrient diffusion. Full‐scale simulations were then performed, demonstrating key discrepancies with the truncated model due to length‐dependent diffusion effects, emphasising the importance of simulating full geometries in transport‐limited systems. The model was validated experimentally with dye‐based flow studies and HepG2 cell culture under dynamic perfusion. Functional validation confirmed that the LOC supports directional solute gradients and cell growth under controlled shear. This integrated in silico–in vitro approach provides a robust framework for the design of organ‐on‐a‐chip systems, reducing development cycles and improving physiological relevance for drug testing and liver disease modelling.

Advanced Intelligent Discovery
University of Technology Sydney (AU), The University of Sydney (AU), Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (CR)
Openalex Percentile: Top 31%
3D Printing in Biomedical Research
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A Computational Approach for Biomimetic Design of Liver‐On‐A‐Chip — Ye Zhang, Zhenxu Yang, et al. · Advanced Intelligent Discovery (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS