title: The integration of 3-D cell printing and mesoscopic fluorescence molecular tomography of vascular constructs within thick hydrogel scaffolds.
abstract: Developing methods that provide adequate vascular perfusion is an important step toward engineering large functional tissues. Meanwhile, an imaging modality to assess the three-dimensional (3-D) structures and functions of the vascular channels is lacking for thick matrices (>2 ≈ 3 mm). Herein, we report on an original approach to construct and image 3-D dynamically perfused vascular structures in thick hydrogel scaffolds. In this work, we integrated a robotic 3-D cell printing technology with a mesoscopic fluorescence molecular tomography imaging system, and demonstrated the capability of the platform to construct perfused collagen scaffolds with endothelial lining and to image both the fluid flow and fluorescent-labeled living endothelial cells at high-frame rates, with high sensitivity and accuracy. These results establish the potential of integrating both 3-D cell printing and fluorescence mesoscopic imaging for functional and molecular studies in complex tissue-engineered tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Vivian K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Schik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Guohao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Intes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology; D005453:Fluorescence; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010477:Perfusion; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014054:Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D003094:Collagen