Construction of Large-Volume Tissue Mimics with 3D Functional Vascular Networks

PLoS One. 2016 May 26;11(5):e0156529. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156529. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

We used indirect stereolithography (SL) to form inner-layered fluidic networks in a porous scaffold by introducing a hydrogel barrier on the luminal surface, then seeded the networks separately with human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human lung fibroblasts to form a tissue mimic containing vascular networks. The artificial vascular networks provided channels for oxygen transport, thus reducing the hypoxic volume and preventing cell death. The endothelium of the vascular networks significantly retarded the occlusion of channels during whole-blood circulation. The tissue mimics have the potential to be used as an in vitro platform to examine the physiologic and pathologic phenomena through vascular architecture.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomimetic Materials*
  • Blood Vessels*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Models, Cardiovascular*
  • Tissue Engineering / methods*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MEST), No. 2012-0001235, (http://www.nrf.re.kr/nrf_eng_cms/).