Sensory organs such as the skin and eye include specialized tissues that serve as protective barriers and interfaces with the external environment. Keratinocytes maintain epidermal integrity and immune defense, while retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells support visual function and retinal homeostasis. These highly accessible yet sensitive tissues play essential roles in barrier protection, immune signaling, and sensory perception. See More
In drug discovery, the skin and eye are frequent sites of off-target effects, including irritation, inflammation, cytotoxicity, and degeneration. Human in vitro models of these sensory organs enable you to assess barrier integrity, immune activation, and tissue-specific toxicity in physiologically relevant systems. Retinal models support evaluation of cellular health, stress responses, and degeneration, while keratinocyte systems enable screening for dermatologic safety and efficacy. These platforms allow for early identification of safety liabilities and disease-relevant responses for topical, ophthalmic, and systemically administered therapeutics when incorporated as new approach methodologies (NAMs).
Sensory system models can also strengthen your translational research and disease modeling. In vitro platforms support studies of dermatitis, psoriasis, and retinal disorders, enabling target validation and biomarker discovery through quantitative assessment of cellular function and inflammatory signaling. Incorporating physiologically relevant human skin and ocular systems into your development workflows improves the ability to predict tissue-specific responses and supports the advancement of safer, more effective therapies.
Explore in vitro sensory system tools for your NAM development.
See Less
