title: Construction of stable capillary networks using a microfluidic device.
abstract: Construction of stable capillary networks is required to provide sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the deep region of thick tissues, which is important in the context of 3D tissue engineering. Although conventional in vitro culture models have been used to investigate the mechanism of capillary formation, recent advances in microfluidics technologies allowed us to control biophysical and biochemical culture environments more precisely, which led to the construction of functional and stable capillary networks. In this study, endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells were co-cultured in microfluidic devices to construct stable capillary networks, which resulted in the construction of luminal structures covered by pericytes. Interactions between endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells are also discussed in the context of capillary formation.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sudo
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D020286:Pericytes / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods