New study sheds light on human in vitro organ model research trends

Two distinct approaches are predominantly used to recapitulate physiologically relevant in vitro human organ models. Organoids use stem cells to grow self-assembled replica organs through directed differentiation, whereas the organ-on-a-chip approach involves microfluidics and carefully controlled, 3D-printed architecture and assembly. It is difficult to assess and compare each strategy's overall influence with the increasing pace of discovery, but a new study using bibliometric analysis of nearly 3,000 research and review articles illuminates research trends. This work is reported in Tissue Engineering, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

In "Global Trends of Organoid and Organ-on-a-chip in the Past Decade: A Bibliometric & Comparative Study", Pu Chen, PhD, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, China, and coauthors present the results of their literature-based investigation. The authors identify research hotspots and their evolution, different scientific areas being influenced, and global trends for both organoid and organ-on-a-chip models. A thorough record is included of the most cited studies, influential authors and institutions, and the most relevant journals for each technique. Ultimately, the authors provide a useful framework for appreciating the unique trajectory of both approaches and also reveal a growing trend of combining the two methods.

Organoids and Organ-on-a-chip mimic the cellular organization and physiology of native tissue. Therefore, they are one of the major breakthrough technology platforms for tissue engineering studies."

John A. Jansen, DDS, PhD, Tissue Engineering Methods Co-Editor-in-Chief, Professor and Head, Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands