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Microfluidic Platform for Reproducing Blood Vessel Microenvironment
Author(s) -
Song Jonathan W.,
Munn Lance L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.1031.4
Subject(s) - extracellular matrix , microbiology and biotechnology , blood flow , microfluidics , blood vessel , in vivo , endothelial stem cell , morphogenesis , matrix (chemical analysis) , chemistry , capillary action , cell , biophysics , in vitro , biomedical engineering , biology , materials science , nanotechnology , medicine , biochemistry , endocrinology , chromatography , gene , composite material
The critical determinants of blood vessel physiology – cell‐cell interactions, cell‐matrix interactions and blood flow – are difficult to control or monitor in vivo . We have developed a microfluidic platform for studying blood vessels in vitro featuring a unique combination of: (i) controllable flow rates, both tangential and transverse to the endothelial monolayer, (ii) 3‐D extracellular matrix localized to a defined region of the system, and (iii) spatiotemporally defined growth factors, cytokines or inhibitors. Consisting of endothelial‐lined channels adjacent to collagen gel, our capillary analogs support fluid flow and allow assessment of how endothelial cells collectively determine vessel physiology and morphogenesis. Research support: T32CA073479, R21CA12676‐02, and R56HL064240‐09A2 .