What about water? A proximal-tubule-on-a-chip for water reabsorption

Abstract

Kidney disease affects 1 in 10 people worldwide. The need to develop new, more efficient therapies has led researchers to turn towards organ-on-a-chip de vices and bioartificial kidneys. Water reabsorption is one of the most important features of a bioartificial kidney. However, there is not one model that mim ics water reabsorption. In this report, I propose a proximal-tubule-on-a-chip to study water reabsorption. I used an SLA printing method with PEGDA 250 resin and a hydrophilic, asymmetric, aluminium oxide membrane to build the proposed device. I ended with three functional models that will enable researchers to study water reabsorption. By having three chips with different characteristics, but the same models and similar dimensions, it is possible to not only control the variable, but also draw new conclusions and shed new light on understanding the kidney. Once we can understand how water reabsorption happens in the kidneys, we can optimize it in a bioartificial device that will replace current therapies, improving patients’ lives.