Self-assembly of capillary network inside artificial hollow tissue

Abstract

The technique to construct the artificial organ made of cultured cells is required in many fields such as tissue engineering and drug development. However, the tissue-like construction more than 200 μm thick has central hypoxia and results in necrosis because of the limitation of diffusion of materials. Then, we will propose a method to form a tissue-like construction including vascular network in itself. Biocompatible artificial vessel was wrapped in cell-sheet cocultivated with HUVEC and NIH3T3. Culture medium perfused into the artificial vessel will be diffused into the whole construction through vascular network of HUVEC. This technique will be increases the viability of the cells in the construction.