Indigenous Placenta-on-chip Platform

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Why in News?

Scientists at IIT Bombay and ICMR-NIRWoH (Mumbai) developed an indigenous placenta-on-a-chip platform.

It is India's first indigenous lab-grown "placenta-on-a-chip" platform, recreating key functions of the human placental barrier.
The initiative combined engineering design and microfabrication (led by IIT Bombay) with biological validation and cell culture models (led by ICMR-NIRRCH).
The microfluidic device reproduces essential placental operations, including hormone production, glucose transport, waste exchange (e.g., urea clearance), and selective barrier protection.
The platform successfully simulated hyperglycemic conditions to mimic gestational diabetes, allowing real-time observation of altered transport dynamics across the placental barrier.
Unlike conventional foreign placenta-on-chip models that require complex microfluidic pumps and continuous perfusion setups, this system is engineered to integrate seamlessly into standard laboratory workflows.

Quick facts

Placenta	It is a temporary mammalian organ that develops during pregnancy. It anchors to the uterine wall and acts as the fetus's life-support system by delivering oxygen and nutrients while clearing metabolic waste.
Organ-on-Chip (OoC) Technology	Microfabricated microfluidic devices containing living human cell cultures that simulate the structural microenvironment and physiological responses of whole organs.
Gestational Diabetes	It is a form of high blood sugar (glucose intolerance) 1^st recognized during pregnancy, which can impair fetal growth and cause maternal complications.

Reference

The Hindu | Key functions of human Placenta on chip