In vitro model for pathological or physiologic conditions

A method of mimicking a pathological or physiologic condition in vitro, the method comprising:

• adding a culture medium and at least one factor to a cell culture container;
• plating at least one cell type on at least one surface within the cell culture container, wherein the surface comprises a surface of a porous membrane suspended in the cell culture container;
• and
• applying a shear force upon a second surface of the porous membrane, the shear force resulting from flow of the culture medium induced by a flow device, the flow mimicking flow to which the at least one cell type is exposed in vivo in the pathological or physiologic condition, wherein:
• the concentration of the factor in the culture media for mimicking the pathological condition is either:
• (i) within the in vivo concentration range of the factor observed in the pathological condition;
• or
• (ii) within the concentration range of the factor that would result in vivo from administration of a drug or a compound;
• or
• the concentration of the factor in the culture media for mimicking the physiologic condition is either:
• (i) within the in vivo concentration range of the factor observed in the physiologic condition;
• or
• (ii) within the concentration range of the factor that would result in vivo from administration of a drug or a compound.

An in vitro method of testing a drug or a compound for an effect, the method comprising:

• adding a culture media to a cell culture container;
• plating at least one cell type on at least one surface within the cell culture container;
• adding a drug or a compound to the culture media, wherein the concentration of the drug or the compound in the culture media is within the concentration range of the drug or the compound that achieves the effect in vivo;
• and
• applying a shear force upon the at least one plated cell type exposed to the drug or the compound, the shear force resulting from flow of the culture media induced by a flow device, the flow mimicking flow to which the at least one cell type is exposed in vivo, wherein a change in the at least one plated cell type, in the presence of the drug or the compound, indicates that the drug or the compound has the effect.