Artificial Tissue Models for Microneedle Testing and Analysis

The role of microneedles (MNs) in enhancing tissue permeability has long been established. Their capacity to serve as drug-delivery vehicles or biosensing platforms makes them ideal candidates for applications in which tissue serves as the primary pathway. Such potential can only be thoroughly validated through tissue-dependent tests. Although MNs are not limited to human tissues, humans remain the most relevant target group. This highlights the need to develop platforms that closely replicate the structure of human tissue for the intended applications. To date, many studies have addressed the limited availability of human samples, constrained by ethical concerns and other challenges, by using artificial, human-like tissue mimics. These models have been widely used to evaluate various aspects of MN performance, including penetrability, drug delivery, and biosensing. Despite limitations, artificial tissues provide a practical assessment tool in MN development. This review offers new insights into the role of synthetic tissue models in evaluating MN functionality. It discusses the underlying rationale for their use, highlights their flexibility and potential in MN application studies, addresses their limitations, and presents their future perspective. Finally, it highlights the need for standardized, scalable artificial tissue platforms to support the translational and commercial advancement of MN technologies