FIG. 7.

In vitro models of the lung microenvironment could be applied to study fibroproliferative disease in ARDS. (i) A lung-on-a-chip that replicates vascular leakage, leading to pulmonary edema and fibrin clotting.⁶² (ii) Strain is applied, by pulling vacuum on either side of the chamber, to a membrane (iii) with alveolar epithelium on the apical side and endothelium on the basal side. Scale bar, 200 μM. (iv) IL-2 induces endothelial and epithelial permeability allowing basal media loaded with prothrombin and fibrin to pass through the membrane and flood the apical channel, simulating pulmonary edema. Scale bar, 200 μM. (v) and (vi) Fibrin clots form on the apical channel after it becomes flooded with basal media containing fibrin and prothrombin. Scale bar (v), 50 μM. Scale bar (vi), 5 μM. Reproduced with permission from Huh et al. Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 159ra147 (2012). Copyright 2012 AAAS.⁶²