Issue 11, 2011

Passive recruitment of circulating leukocytes into capillary sprouts from existing capillaries in a microfluidic system

Abstract

Recent evidence implicating leukocytes in angiogenesis raises the question of whether leukocytes and other cells circulating with the blood in microvascular networks can home to capillary sprouts intraluminally. This study describes an investigation of leukocyte trafficking in sprouting capillaries fabricated using soft lithography. The leukocytes passing with whole blood through existing capillaries were able to enter microfabricated capillary sprouts of variable length and sprouting angle due to the mechanical interaction with red blood cells (RBCs) at the sprouting bifurcation, in spite of the complete absence of blood flow through the blind-ended sprouts or any chemoattractants. The RBCs formed “comet tails” (the densely packed cellular trains forming behind leukocytes as they move through narrow capillaries) and effectively pushed leukocytes into the microfabricated sprouts while bypassing them at the sprouting bifurcation. Individual sprouts filled with several leukocytes, as wells as RBCs and platelets, were observed. The results of this study suggest that (i) blood cells are likely present in capillary sprouts throughout their development, (ii) leukocytes and other circulating cells may use this mechanism to home to capillary sprouts intraluminally for direct engraftment, and (iii) tissues may use this phenomenon as another mechanism for local recruitment of leukocytes from the blood stream.

Graphical abstract: Passive recruitment of circulating leukocytes into capillary sprouts from existing capillaries in a microfluidic system

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 Oct 2010
Accepted
23 Mar 2011
First published
18 Apr 2011

Lab Chip, 2011,11, 1924-1932

Passive recruitment of circulating leukocytes into capillary sprouts from existing capillaries in a microfluidic system

O. Forouzan, J. M. Burns, J. L. Robichaux, W. L. Murfee and S. S. Shevkoplyas, Lab Chip, 2011, 11, 1924 DOI: 10.1039/C0LC00547A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements