Respiratory simulation system including an anatomical model of the human nasal cavity configured for in-vitro inhalation studies and associated methods

A method of making an anatomical model of a nasal cavity for at least one of in-vitro inhalation toxicological screening, intranasal drug delivery studies, and neurophysiological studies, the method comprising:

• (a) molding an elastomer material around a cast of a nasal cavity to define a model body;
• (b) removing the cast from the model body to define a nasal cavity therein including fluidic channels;
• (c) dividing the model body into upper and lower model portions that together define the nasal cavity including the fluidic channels therein that define an olfactory region of the upper model portion and define a nasal passage of the lower model portion;
• (d) positioning a biocompatible porous membrane on the upper model portion adjacent the fluidic channels that define the olfactory region;
• (e) aligning the upper and lower model portions together with the biocompatible porous membrane therebetween;
• (f) culturing olfactory neuron cells within the fluidic channels;
• (g) culturing olfactory epithelium cells on the biocompatible porous membrane;
• (h) coating the nasal cavity with an artificial mucous layer configured to collect particles passing through the nasal cavity;
• and
• (i) separating the upper and lower model portions and spacing the upper and lower model portions from one another to enable access to the biocompatible membrane between the upper and lower model portions.