Comparison of the OrganoPlate® and the Transwell® platform for in vitro intestinal permeability assays

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When developing new drugs, it is critical to understand the permeability, absorption, and transport mechanisms of new therapeutics in relevant biological systems. The OrganoPlate® is a microfluidic platform for 3D cell culture of multiple tissue types in a standard 384 well plate format that is compatible with automation workflows. Here, we compare permeability assays in Caco‑2 intestinal tubule models cultured in the OrganoPlate to those cultured in a conventional permeable filter support (Transwell®) system.

Benefits of the OrganoPlate

  • Direct analysis in the plate, due to real-time imaging-based assay; no need for sampling.
  • Membrane-free system: allows easy, high-quality imaging, and ensures permeability data is not influenced by the membrane
  • Allows for visual inspection of the cells before the permeability assays are performed
  • Assay‑ready in 4 days (vs. 21 days), paracellular permeability readout in 12 min (vs. 330 min)
  • Lower experimental cost