Bioengineering an improved three-dimensional vascularized co-culture model for studying Neuron-Microglia interactions.

ABSTRACT: Interactions among neurons, microglia, and endothelial cells (ECs) -the principal components of the neurovascular unit (NVU)-are vital for maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis and are implicated in numerous neurological disorders. However, mechanistic insights into their crosstalk remain limited due to the lack of physiologically relevant in vitro models. In this study, we present an improved 3D vascularized tri-culture model that integrates human-induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs), human vascular organoids (hVOs), and microglia within a geometrically engineered silk fibroin scaffold. This platform effectively recapitulates critical features of the native CNS microenvironment, including spatial neurovascular patterning and cell-type-specific interactions. Within this

SUBMITTER: Han Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12628055 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature