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Design of Perfused PTFE Vessel‐Like Constructs for In Vitro Applications
Author(s) -
Estermann Manuela,
Spiaggia Giovanni,
Septiadi Dedy,
Dijkhoff Irini Magdelina,
Drasler Barbara,
PetriFink Alke,
RothenRutishauser Barbara
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.202100016
Subject(s) - polydimethylsiloxane , biomedical engineering , perfusion , in vivo , membrane , matrix (chemical analysis) , biophysics , polytetrafluoroethylene , chemistry , organ on a chip , extracellular matrix , diffusion , tissue engineering , materials science , nanotechnology , microfluidics , composite material , biology , biochemistry , chromatography , medicine , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , cardiology , thermodynamics
Tissue models mimic the complex 3D structure of human tissues, which allows the study of pathologies and the development of new therapeutic strategies. The introduction of perfusion overcomes the diffusion limitation and enables the formation of larger tissue constructs. Furthermore, it provides the possibility to investigate the effects of hematogenously administered medications. In this study, the applicability of hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes as vessel‐like constructs for further use in perfused tissue models is evaluated. The presented approach allows the formation of stable and leakproof tubes with a mean diameter of 654.7 µm and a wall thickness of 84.2 µm. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip acts as a perfusion bioreactor and provides sterile conditions. As proof of concept, endothelial cells adhere to the tube's wall, express vascular endothelial cadherin (VE‐cadherin) between neighboring cells, and resist perfusion at a shear rate of 0.036 N m −2 for 48 h. Furthermore, the endothelial cell layer delays significantly the diffusion of fluorescently labeled molecules into the surrounding collagen matrix and leads to a twofold reduced diffusion velocity. This approach represents a cost‐effective alternative to introduce stable vessel‐like constructs into tissue models, which allows adapting the surrounding matrix to the tissue properties in vivo.

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