© Photo:
Fraunhofer IZI
Scheme of the
microfluidic bioreactor (top), and details of the wells containing
microparticles
(oxygen probes)
and cells in the background (below).
(February 2, 2016) Researchers
all over Europe are working on alternatives to animal testing that can be used
to evaluate the adverse side-effects of medications. But many of these test
methods still present problems. A microreactor developed as part of an
EU-funded collaborative research project enables cultured liver cells to be
used as test samples. Unlike animal testing, this novel method enables the
assessment of potentially toxic substances on tissue in real time.
Serious efforts are underway to significantly reduce the
number of animal tests carried out for research purposes. The latest EU
Cosmetics Regulation, which came into force in 2013, bans the sale of cosmetic
products containing ingredients that have been tested on animals. But it is difficult
to find alternatives, not only for the cosmetics industry but also in the field
of pharmaceutical research. In many cases, there are no other suitable methods
of toxicity testing available. Numerous research groups are therefore working
on the development of new, viable test formats.