title: Three dimensional tubular structure self-assembled by vascular mesenchymal cells at stiffness interfaces of hydrogels.
abstract: In this study, we report a rational and robust methodology to construct three dimensional (3D) tubular-structures solely by self-assembly of vascular mesenchymal cells (VMCs). Using the cell-laden hyaluronic acid hydrogel surrounded by cell-free gel with a higher stiffness, VMCs spontaneously migrated across the interface and assembled into 3D tubes, which composes of numerous cells. Based on turing instability which describes the reaction-diffusion processes of inhibitors and activators, this result of 3D tubular structure formation agrees with theoretical predictions from simulations of the reaction-diffusion of morphogens and cells under the initial conditions of patterned cell-laden hydrogel. We showed that this combination of theoretical prediction and experiments is able to produce multi-cellular 3D tubes with desired dimensions and determinate orientation in hydrogel mimicking the 3D features of tubular tissue. This work provides a reliable methodology for creating tubular structures with controllable sizes inside the 3D hydrogel through multi-cellular self-organization.
authors: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213022, China; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: zhuxxiaoluu@yeah.net.
authors: Xiaolu
authors: X
authors: Zhu
authors: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Shiva
authors: S
authors: Gojgini
authors: Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Ting-Hsuan
authors: TH
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Teng
authors: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Fei
authors: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Siyan
authors: S
authors: Dong
authors: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Tatiana
authors: T
authors: Segura
authors: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Bioengineering Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Chih-Ming
authors: CM
authors: Ho
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: Hyaluronic acid; Mesenchymal stem cell; Self-organization; Turing instability