Issue 6, 2014

On-chip self-assembly of cell embedded microstructures to vascular-like microtubes

Abstract

Currently, research on the construction of vascular-like tubular structures is a hot area of tissue engineering, since it has potential applications in the building of artificial blood vessels. In this paper, we report a fluidic self-assembly method using cell embedded microstructures to construct vascular-like microtubes. A novel 4-layer microfluidic device was fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which contains fabrication, self-assembly and extraction areas inside one channel. Cell embedded microstructures were directly fabricated using poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) in the fabrication area, namely on-chip fabrication. Self-assembly of the fabricated microstructures was performed in the assembly area which has a micro well. Assembled tubular structures (microtubes) were extracted outside the channel into culture dishes using a normally closed (NC) micro valve in the extraction area. The self-assembly mechanism was experimentally demonstrated. The performance of the NC micro valve and embedded cell concentration were both evaluated. Fibroblast (NIH/3T3) embedded vascular-like microtubes were constructed inside this reusable microfluidic device.

Graphical abstract: On-chip self-assembly of cell embedded microstructures to vascular-like microtubes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Oct 2013
Accepted
03 Dec 2013
First published
03 Dec 2013

Lab Chip, 2014,14, 1151-1161

On-chip self-assembly of cell embedded microstructures to vascular-like microtubes

T. Yue, M. Nakajima, M. Takeuchi, C. Hu, Q. Huang and T. Fukuda, Lab Chip, 2014, 14, 1151 DOI: 10.1039/C3LC51134K

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