---
title: "Human myelin microphysiological system for testing individualized treatment response in multiple s"
id: "biorxiv-16-engineering-human-myelin-microphysiological-systems-for-testing-patient"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-16-engineering-human-myelin-microphysiological-systems-for-testing-patient"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Neurology"
source_name: "bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)"
source_url: "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.12.750449v1?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-09-18T12:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Verified Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Human myelin microphysiological system for testing individualized treatment response in multiple s
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-16-engineering-human-myelin-microphysiological-systems-for-testing-patient
- **Specialty:** [Neurology](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/neurology.md)
- **Primary Source:** bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.12.750449v1?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-09-18T12:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Verified Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- The authors developed a human **myelin MPS** (myelin microphysiological system) that models human myelination and allows testing of patient-specific treatment responses in **multiple sclerosis** (MS). - The platform uses neural organoids cultured on 3D-printed devices containing directional microfibers, then cocultured with oligodendrocyte progenitor cells to generate myelinated tissue. - Each conventional well plate can host up to **96 myelin MPS** models, enabling scalable experiments. - Autologous immune cells (T cells and monocytes) from MS patients produced substantially greater demyelination in the myelin MPS than immune cells from healthy donors. - Coculture with patient immune cells was accompanied by expansion of **proinflammatory T-cell** subsets and increased myelin uptake by monocytes/macrophages observed in the platform. - The system integrates imaging and flow-cytometric features to profile phenotypes and treatment responses. - Treatment testing with prednisone, glatiramer acetate, interferon β-1a, and dimethyl fumarate produced distinguishable readouts that separated healthy-donor, untreated-MS, responder, and nonresponder profiles. - The authors propose the myelin MPS as a scalable, human pathophysiology-relevant tool for functional phenotyping and individualized evaluation of MS treatment response. - The preprint reports no competing interests and was posted on September 18, 2026. Details such as specific quantitative assay metrics, donor numbers, and statistical outcomes were not reported in the source abstract.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
Engineering human myelin microphysiological systems for testing patient treatment response in multiple sclerosis | bioRxiv Skip to main content New Results Engineering human myelin microphysiological systems for testing patient treatment response in multiple sclerosis Chunhui Tian , Zheng Ao , Hongwei Cai , Jiansen Wang , Nian Wang , Jason Tchieu , Hui-Chen Lu , Ken Mackie , Mingxia Gu , Feng Guo doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.12.750449 Chunhui Tian 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Zheng Ao 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Hongwei Cai 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Jiansen Wang 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Nian Wang 2 UTSW; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Jason Tchieu 3 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Hui-Chen Lu 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Ken Mackie 4 IU Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Mingxia Gu 5 UCLA Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Feng Guo 1 Indiana University Bloomington; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site For correspondence: fengguo{at}iu.edu Abstract Info/History Metrics Preview PDF Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by neuroinflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration, associated with a complex interplay between the innate and adaptive immune systems. Currently, no cure is available for MS, and personalized disease-modifying treatment remains largely limited, partially due to the lack of preclinical human models that can faithfully recapitulate disease pathology and evaluate treatment responses at the individual-patient level. Here, we report a human myelin microphysiological system (myelin MPS) platform that recaptures disease phenotype and treatment response for testing patient treatment response. By culturing neural organoids on 3D-printed devices containing directional microfibers, followed by coculture with oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, 96 myelin MPS models can be generated within a conventional well plate. Using this myelin MPS platform, autologous T cells and monocytes from MS patients induced substantially greater demyelination than those from healthy donors, accompanied by expansion of proinflammatory T-cell subsets and increased myelin uptake by monocytes/macrophages after coculture with these healthy myelinating neural tissues. Integration of imaging and flow-cytometric features distinguished healthy-donor, untreated-MS, responder, and nonresponder profiles following treatment with prednisone, glatiramer acetate, interferon β-1a, or dimethyl fumarate. Thus, the myelin MPS platform provides a scalable, human pathophysiology-relevant platform for functional phenotyping and individualized treatment-response evaluation in MS. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Back to top Previous Next Posted September 18, 2026. Download PDF Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following Engineering human myelin microphysiological systems for testing patient treatment response in multiple sclerosis Message Subject (Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website. Your Personal Message CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Share Engineering human myelin microphysiological systems for testing patient treatment response in multiple sclerosis Chunhui Tian , Zheng Ao , Hongwei Cai , Jiansen Wang , Nian Wang , Jason Tchieu , Hui-Chen Lu , Ken Mackie , Mingxia Gu , Feng Guo bioRxiv 2026.09.12.750449; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.12.750449 Share This Article: Copy Citation Tools Engineering human myelin microphysiological systems for testing patient treatment response in multiple sclerosis Chunhui Tian , Zheng Ao , Hongwei Cai , Jiansen Wang , Nian Wang , Jason Tchieu , Hui-Chen Lu , Ken Mackie , Mingxia Gu , Feng Guo bioRxiv 2026.09.12.750449; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.12.750449 Citation Manager Formats BibTeX Bookends EasyBib EndNote (tagged) EndNote 8 (xml) Medlars Mendeley Papers RefWorks Tagged Ref Manager RIS Zotero Tweet Widget Facebook Like Google Plus One Subject Areas All Articles Animal Behavior and Cognition (8010) Biochemistry (18733) Bioengineering (14878) Bioinformatics (44394) Biophysics (22589) Cancer Biology (19717) Cell Biology (26897) Clinical Trials (138) Developmental Biology (13964) Ecology (21005) Epidemiology (2067) Evolutionary Biology (25436) Genetics (16162) Genomics (23498) Immunology (18693) Microbiology (42451) Molecular Biology (18056) Neuroscience (93420) Paleontology (700) Pathology (2977) Pharmacology and Toxicology (5093) Physiology (8111) Plant Biology (15998) Scientific Communication and Education (2095) Synthetic Biology (4559) Systems Biology (10233) Zoology (2390)
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