Blood Vessel Model using Tissue Modules with on-demand Stimuli

Abstract

Artificial vascularization of tissue has been a major barrier in the upscaling of tissue engineering. Achieving angiogenesis from a pre-existing vessel in a controlled manner is a possible solution to prevascularize tissue. Microfluidic approaches do not allow yet the creation of a complex hierarchical tissue construct that can be manipulated and removed from the creation template.Thus the challenge is to simulate angiogenesis in a 1:1 scale. We aim to assemble a blood vessel module that will include: on-demand flow, through a tubular structure comprised of endothelial cells, fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells suspended in a hydrogel environment functionalized with growth factors