Barrier-free, open-top microfluidic chip for generating two distinct, interconnected 3D microvascular networks.

ABSTRACT: Developing microphysiological cell culture platforms with a three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment has been a significant advancement from traditional monolayer cultures. Still, most of the current microphysiological platforms are limited in closed designs, i.e. are not accessible after 3D cell culture loading. Here, we report an open-top microfluidic chip which enables the generation of two sequentially loaded 3D cell cultures without physical barriers restricting the nurture, gas exchange and cellular communication. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrated the formation of two 3D vasculatures, one in the upper and the other in the lower compartment, under three distinct flow conditions: asymmetric side-to-center, symmetric side-to-center and symmetric center-to-side. We used computational

SUBMITTER: Yrjanainen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11447027 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature