The interplay of cells, polymers, and vascularization in three-dimensional lung models and their applications in COVID-19 research and therapy

• Published in: Stem cell research & therapy 2023-04, Vol.14 (1), p.114-20, Article 114
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Toka A, Eldaly, Bassant, Eldosuky, Shadwa, Elkhenany, Hoda, El-Derby, Azza M, Elshazly, Muhamed F, El-Badri, Nagwa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Animal models; Animals; Antiviral agents; Biochips; Brain research; Cancer; Cell culture; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Drug screening; Drug testing; Epidermal growth factor; Fibroblasts; Health aspects; Humans; Hydrogels; Infection; Infections; Kinases; Ligands; Lung; Lung organoid; Lung spheroid; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Methods; Microenvironments; Natural polymers; Neurophysiology; Neurosciences; Organoids; Pathogenesis; Physiology; Polymers; Respiratory syncytial virus; Review; Semiconductors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spheroids; Stem cells; Synthetic polymers; Vaccine development; Vaccines; Vascularization; Virus diseases; Viruses
• ISSN: 1757-6512; 1757-6512
• DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03341-4

Millions of people have been affected ever since the emergence of the corona virus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, leading to an urgent need for antiviral drug and vaccine development. Current experimentation on traditional two-dimensional culture (2D) fails to accurately mimic the in vivo microenvironment for the disease, while in vivo animal model testing does not faithfully replicate human COVID-19 infection. Human-based three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models such as spheroids, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip present a promising solution to these challenges. In this report, we review the recent 3D in vitro lung models used in COVID-19 infection and drug screening studies and highlight the most common types of natural and synthetic polymers used to generate 3D lung models.