Placenta barrier-on-a-chip could lead to better understanding of premature births

(American Chemical Society) More than one in 10 babies worldwide are born prematurely, according to the World Health Organization. Now scientists report in ACS Biomaterials Science& Engineering that they have developed an organ-on-a-chip that could help explain why. The device, which replicates the functions of a key membrane in the placenta, could lead to a better understanding of how bacterial infections can promote preterm delivery. It could also lead to new treatments for this condition.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news