Integrating perfusable vascular networks with a three-dimensional tissue in a microfluidic device
Abstract
Creating vascular networks in tissues is crucial for tissue engineering. Although recent studies have demonstrated the formation of vessel-like structures in a tissue model, long-term culture is still challenging due to the lack of active perfusion in vascular networks. Here, we present a method to create a three-dimensional cellular spheroid with a perfusable vascular network in a microfluidic device. By the definition of the cellular interaction between human lung fibroblasts (hLFs) in a spheroid and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in microchannels, angiogenic sprouts were induced from microchannels toward the spheroid; the sprouts reached the vessel-like structures in a spheroid to form a continuous lumen. We demonstrated that the vascular network could administer biological substances to the interior of the spheroid. As cell density in the spheroid is similar to that of a tissue, the perfusable vasculature model opens up new possibilities for a long-term tissue culture in vitro.
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A compartmental channels model of angiogenesis in a cancer spheroid was developed to study tumor perfusion and drug delivery.
“A compartmental channels model of angiogenesis in a cancer spheroid was developed to study tumor perfusion and drug delivery (Figure 3A) [57].”
From Cancer-on-chip models for metastasis: importance of the tumor microenvironment (2024) · cites this paper as [57]
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- Authors
- Nashimoto, Y., Hayashi, T., Kunita, I., Nakamasu, A., Torisawa, Y.-S., Nakayama, M., Takigawa-Imamura, H., Kotera, H., Nishiyama, K., Miura, T., & Yokokawa, R.
- Affiliations
- Kyoto University (JP)
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University (JP)
- Kyushu University (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Yokokawa, Ryuji
- ORCID
- Venue
- Integrative Biology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2017-05-31
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 506-518
- ISSN
- 1757-9694 (ISSN-L)
- 1757-9708
- OpenAlex
- W2619944463
- Cited by
- 266
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 7.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Integrative Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (25600060, 16K16386, 25600060, 16K16386)
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JPMJCR14W4)
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (Unassigned)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications
- Keywords
- perfusable vascular networks, 3D tissue models, microfluidics, cellular spheroids, angiogenesis, human lung fibroblasts, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, endothelial sprouting, long-term tissue culture, in vitro vascularization
- MeSH terms
- Blood Vessels, Equipment Design, Fibroblasts, Fluorescent Dyes, Humans, Lung, Perfusion, Spheroids, Cellular, Neovascularization, Physiologic, Coculture Techniques, Tissue Engineering, Tissue Culture Techniques, Lab-On-A-Chip Devices, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
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