The above images show human liver cells (blue) and breast cancer cells (red) in the LiverChip model.

The image on the left shows the cells after they were treated with a chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin (DOX). The breast cancer cells are dormant (not multiplying), but they are still alive after DOX treatment in the bioengineered system. However, as shown in the image on the right, when the scientists mimic inflammation using a substance called lipopolysaccharide and a growth factor along with the DOX chemotherapy, the cells come out of dormancy and start to multiply. This experiment shows that the LiverChip is an effective system for replicating the conditions under which dormant cancer cells in the liver become activated and start to grow.