The Shift from Chemical Drugs to Living Cells
Medicine is currently undergoing a fundamental shift in how it treats disease. For decades, the standard has been pharmacotherapy—using synthetic chemical compounds to suppress symptoms or treat infections. However, as reported by Metro Jateng, the field is moving toward regenerative medicine and cellular immunotherapy. In this new paradigm, the “drug” is no longer a chemical, but the patient’s own cells, which are harvested, purified, and reintroduced into the body.
The success of these therapies depends entirely on the precision of the harvesting process. If cells are not separated with extreme accuracy in the laboratory, the safety and efficacy of the treatment are compromised. This makes the evolution of cell-separation technology a critical bottleneck for the future of healthcare.
The Evolution of Cell Harvesting Techniques
The journey toward clinical-grade cell harvesting began with simple physical properties. In the traditional era, researchers relied on gravity sedimentation and plastic adhesion. In gravity sedimentation, cell components settle in a tube based on their natural molecular weight. Plastic adhesion leverages the biological tendency of certain cells to stick to polystyrene laboratory containers.
For example, in a white blood cell population, monocytes adhere to the plastic walls of a container while lymphocytes remain suspended in the fluid. While these methods are inexpensive and minimize mechanical damage to the cells, they are insufficient for modern medicine. They are slow, prone to contamination, and produce low purity levels that do not meet strict clinical standards for human application.
To solve these issues, the medical field moved into a conventional era based on density and magnetic markers. The current gold standard involves density gradient centrifugation, often utilizing mediums like Ficoll-Paque. This process uses high-speed, measured rotation to separate cells by their specific gravity. Additionally, the use of magnetic fields to recognize surface markers allows for even higher precision in cell isolation.
Replacing Animal Models with Microphysiological Systems
While harvesting cells is the first step, testing how these cells or new drugs react in a human body has traditionally relied on animal testing. This method is increasingly viewed as both unethical and inaccurate. To address this, Telkom University highlights the implementation of Microphysiological Systems (MPS).
MPS are in vitro microfluidic devices that contain channels lined with human cells and tissues. By flowing drugs through these channels, scientists can observe real-time effects on human biology without needing a living human subject or an animal proxy. Because these systems mimic the actual environment of human organs, they provide a level of accuracy that animal models cannot match.
The 2022 Trial and the Limits of Animal Testing
The danger of relying on animal models was starkly illustrated in 2022. A trial was conducted on 27 different types of drugs using MPS that simulated the human liver. The results revealed a dangerous gap in current testing protocols:
This finding proves that animal biology often fails to predict human toxicity, potentially allowing dangerous drugs to reach clinical trials. The ability of MPS to detect these failures early suggests that the technology is not just a preference for animal welfare, but a necessity for patient safety.
The 2007 Origin of Human-on-a-Chip Technology
The foundation for this technology was laid in 2007 at the Wyss Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. The development began when a director at the institute was inspired by a demonstration of a cell-free human lung construction on a chip. This sparked the effort to create an in vitro environment that could truly mimic human organs.
By integrating microfluidics with living human tissue, the Wyss Institute shifted the trajectory of drug development. The goal is a future where the entire drug testing pipeline—from initial screening to toxicity checks—happens on a chip rather than in a living creature.
As the industry moves further into the era of cellular medicine, the synergy between high-precision cell harvesting and MPS testing will be the primary driver of safety. The stakes are clear: the more accurately we can mimic the human body in the lab, the fewer lives are put at risk during the development of the next generation of cures.
Note: Always consult your healthcare provider regarding medical treatments and drug safety.