Lab-on-a-Chip Models How Alzheimer’s Disease Advances in the Brain
The low-cost, portable system offers a valuable tool for both diagnostics and drug development.
A team of researchers from Concordia University and McGill University has developed a “lab-on-a-chip” device that models how Alzheimer’s disease advances in the brain.
The microfluidic platform allows scientists to study how microglia — the brain’s immune cells — respond to small, toxic clusters of protein fragments known as amyloid beta oligomers (AβO). These fragments are considered a key marker of the disease.
Normally, microglia help clear AβO from the brain. But in Alzheimer’s, they become over-activated when exposed to the harmful protein clusters, releasing inflammatory molecules that damage nearby neurons.
The chip works by flowing liquid over microglial cells in a tiny channel, gently nudging them to test how well they stick to the surface. When exposed to higher levels of AβOs, or for longer periods of time, the immune cells lost their grip more quickly. That weakening is a physical sign that the disease is progressing.
A portable, cost-effective alternative for diagnostics
Traditional methods for tracking Alzheimer’s often rely on “labels” — special dyes or antibodies that must be attached to cells or proteins so they can be detected. These approaches require extensive preparation, are expensive and usually provide only static snapshots.
By contrast, the new chip is label-free, inexpensive and can monitor cell behaviour continuously. After 24 hours of exposure to high AβO concentrations, the immune cells lost all adhesion — indicating they were no longer viable.
This study demonstrates how a low-cost, portable system can capture subtle changes in the immune cell behaviour that accompany Alzheimer’s disease, offering a valuable tool for both diagnostics and drug development.
Reference: Yazdanpanah Moghadam E, Sonenberg N, Packirisamy M. Alzheimer model chip with microglia BV2 cells. Microsyst Nanoeng. 2025;11(1):1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41378-024-00862-7
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