What is a Microphysiological System (MPS)?

A microphysiological system (MPS) is an in vitro platform designed to replicate key aspects of human tissue and organ function using living cells arranged in physiologically relevant architectures. These systems enable researchers to study drug response, toxicity, and disease mechanisms in a controlled, human-relevant environment.

Unlike traditional 2D cell cultures on flat dishes, MPS platforms incorporate multiple cell types, physiologically relevant tissue architecture, and — where applicable — dynamic culture conditions. Physiologically relevant shear can be introduced using orbital shaking rather than external pumps, reducing the complexity barrier for adoption.

The term is used interchangeably with organ-on-a-chip, tissue chip, and in vitro organ model — though they have subtle technical differences.

Traditional organ-on-chip platforms use microfluidic devices with channels or chambers to house living human cells. They often require dedicated hardware, external pumps, specialized training, and clean-room fabrication — creating barriers to adoption in standard laboratories.

Revivocell's NANOSTACKS™ platform takes a different, more accessible approach: instead of microfluidic chips, it uses stackable modular inserts within standard 24-well plates. Physiologically relevant shear is generated via orbital shaking rather than external pumps, eliminating the need for specialist equipment while maintaining human-relevant biology.

Many drug candidates that show promise in preclinical testing do not translate successfully in human clinical studies, highlighting the need for more predictive, human-relevant models. A key contributing factor is that animal models have significant biological differences from humans — particularly in liver metabolism, immune response, and neurological function.

Human MPS platforms use human-derived cells in physiologically relevant architectures, making them fundamentally better predictors of human drug responses than either traditional cell culture or animal models.

• Hepatotoxicity prediction: Liver MPS models with hepatocytes, endothelial, immune, and stellate cells catch drug-induced liver injury (DILI) that flat cell cultures miss.
• Neurotoxicity assessment: Brain MPS with MEA-compatible electrode arrays can measure functional network activity — detecting sub-lethal neurotoxic effects invisible to viability assays.
• Multi-organ crosstalk: Multi-organ MPS systems model systemic effects — e.g., how a drug metabolized in the liver affects the brain or kidney.

NANOSTACKS™ is a modular, stackable insert system that fits into standard 24-well plates. Each insert represents a tissue layer — endothelium, parenchyma, immune cells, stroma — and stacks are assembled to build anatomically inspired multi-layer organ models.

Fluid flow is generated by orbital shaking rather than pumps, creating physiologically relevant shear stress without complex microfluidic hardware. This makes the platform compatible with any laboratory equipped for standard cell culture.

Revivocell currently offers validated models for liver, brain, and multi-organ systems. Each model is available in multiple configurations based on the complexity of cell co-culture required for the study.