Fabrication of centimeter-scale and geometrically arbitrary vascular networks using in vitro self-assembly.

ABSTRACT: One of the largest challenges facing the field of tissue engineering is the incorporation of a functional vasculature, allowing effective nourishment of graft tissue beyond diffusion length scales. Here, we demonstrate a methodology for inducing the robust self-assembly of endothelial cells into stable three-dimensional perfusable networks on millimeter and centimeter length scales. Utilizing broadly accessible cell strains and reagents, we have rigorously tested a state space of cell densities (0.5-2.0 × 10⁶ cell/mL) and collagen gel densities (2-6 mg/mL) that result in robust vascular network formation. Further, over the range of culture conditions with which we observed robust network formation, we advanced image processing algorithms and quantitative metrics to assess networ

SUBMITTER: Morgan JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6238648 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature