Torisawa, Yu-sukeSpina, Catherine SMammoto, TadanoriMammoto, AkikoWeaver, JamesTat, TracyCollins, JamesIngber, Donald2014-09-162014Torisawa, Yu-suke, Catherine S. Spina, Tadanori Mammoto, Akiko Mammoto, James C. Weaver, Tracy Tat, James J. Collins, and Donald E. Ingber. 2014. Bone Marrow–on–a–Chip Replicates Hematopoietic Niche Physiology in Vitro. Nature Methods 11, no. 6: 663–669.1548-70911548-7105http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:12872207Current in vitro hematopoiesis models fail to demonstrate the cellular diversity and complex functions of living bone marrow; hence, most translational studies relevant to the hematologic system are conducted in live animals. Here we describe a method for fabricating 'bone marrow–on–a–chip' that permits culture of living marrow with a functional hematopoietic niche in vitro by first engineering new bone in vivo, removing it whole and perfusing it with culture medium in a microfluidic device. The engineered bone marrow (eBM) retains hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in normal in vivo–like proportions for at least 1 week in culture. eBM models organ-level marrow toxicity responses and protective effects of radiation countermeasure drugs, whereas conventional bone marrow culture methods do not. This biomimetic microdevice offers a new approach for analysis of drug responses and toxicities in bone marrow as well as for study of hematopoiesis and hematologic diseases in vitro.en-USLab-on-a-chipExperimental models of diseaseJournal Article2014-11-0510.1038/nmeth.2938