Intestinal tissue, and specifically its mucosal layer, is a complex and gradient-rich environment. Gradients of soluble factor (BMP, Noggin, Notch, Hedgehog, and Wnt), insoluble extracellular matrix proteins (laminins, collagens, fibronectin, and their cognate receptors), stromal stiffness, oxygenation, and sheer stress induced by luminal fluid flow at the crypt-villus axis controls and supports healthy intestinal tissue homeostasis. However, due to current technological challenges, very few of these features have so far been included in in vitro intestinal tissue mimetic platforms. In this review, the tightly defined and dynamic microenvironment of the intestinal tissue is presented in detail. Additionally, the authors introduce the current state-of-the-art intestinal tissue mimetic platforms, as well as the design drawbacks and challenges they face while attempting to capture the complexity of the intestinal tissue's physiology. Finally, the compositions of an "idealized" mimetic system is presented to guide future developmental efforts.

Electrosynthesis traditionally requires solid electrodes and a power source, yet a soft interface itself can encode the required driving force. Here, Electrodeless Interfacial Electrosynthesis (ELIE) exploits the intrinsic polarization of immiscible liquid|liquid interfaces to drive oxidative polymerization of conducting polymer thin films without applied power. ELIE reframes electrosynthesis as a chemically polarized interfacial process, producing high‑quality free-standing films using only simple glassware and solution preparation. Salts dissolved in the organic phase comprising hydrophilic cations and hydrophobic anions function as chemical polarizers, generating a tuneable interfacial Galvani potential that mediates electron transfer between aqueous Ce ⁴⁺ and organic monomers, producing conducting films of PEDOT, PProDOT, and PProDOT‑Et ₂ . Polarizer identity programs the interfacial potential, directing oligomer growth and nanoscale film morphology. ELIE‑grown films exhibit reversible p‑doping, conductivities up to ~20 S cm ^–1 , and low hysteresis, without post‑treatments. As an initial regenerative‑medicine demonstration, the films exhibit high retinal cell viability, surpassing that of PEDOT:PSS.