Placenta-on-a-Chip Technology in Teratogenicity Research

Abstract

Teratogenicity remains a major concern in maternal and fetal health, as exposure to drugs, chemicals, environmental pollutants, infectious agents and other harmful factors during pregnancy can adversely affect normal embryonic and fetal development. Such exposure may result in congenital malformations, growth restriction, functional abnormalities and even fetal loss. For many years, animal models have been the primary approach for evaluating developmental toxicity. However, differences in placental structure and function between humans and animals often limit their ability to accurately predict human fetal responses. In recent years, advances in microfluidic technology have led to the development of placenta-on-chip, an innovative in vitro platform that closely mimics the human placental barrier and maternal–fetal interface. This technology provides a more physiologically relevant system for investigating placental transport, drug transfer and the effects of teratogenic agents. This review presents an overview of the principles of placenta-on-chip technology, its applications in developmental toxicity and teratogenicity research, along with its advantages, current challenges, and future perspectives. By offering a more human relevant alternative to conventional models, placenta-on-chip has the potential to improve developmental toxicity assessment while supporting efforts to reduce reliance on animal testing.