Transport-mediated angiogenesis in 3D epithelial coculture.

ABSTRACT: Increasing interest has focused on capturing the complexity of tissues and organs in vitro as models of human pathophysiological processes. In particular, a need exists for a model that can investigate the interactions in three dimensions (3D) between epithelial tissues and a microvascular network since vascularization is vital for reconstructing functional tissues in vitro. Here, we implement a microfluidic platform to analyze angiogenesis in 3D cultures of rat primary hepatocytes and rat/human microvascular endothelial cells (rMVECs/hMVECs). Liver and vascular cells were cultured on each sidewall of a collagen gel scaffold between two microfluidic channels under static or flow conditions. Morphogenesis of 3D hepatocyte cultures was found to depend on diffusion and convection across the n

SUBMITTER: Sudo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2718841 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature