The key feature of the film is that two kinds of cells can be cultivated in a two-layered tissue structure that's similar to that of living tissues, such as blood vessels and intestinal epithelium. The different types of cells can be separated on different sides of the film to keep them from mixing, but also allow cells to contact each other through u-shaped pores in the film. The size of the pores can be controlled at the micrometer level.

Image courtesy of Toyoda Gosei.

For drug development applications, the two-cell-layer tissue will enable detailed examination of the movement of a drug through individual cell layers. The film can be used as an alternative to assess drug efficacy and safety during the early phases of development.

The company will launch the technology at the annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments on November 12-13.