Scientists have succeeded in designing a synthetic hydrogel in which endothelial cells (pink cell nuclei) form new blood vessels that grow from a parent blood vessel (upright on the left). Here, the vessels were perfused with a liquid containing fluorescent beads (yellow). Using fluorescence microscopy the scientists showed that the beads flowed into the new vessels at a natural speed and that these actually formed cavities connected to the parent vessel.
Scientists have succeeded in designing a synthetic hydrogel in which endothelial cells (pink cell nuclei) form new blood vessels that grow from a parent blood vessel (upright on the left). Here, the vessels were perfused with a liquid containing fluorescent beads ( yellow ). Using fluorescence microscopy the scientists showed that the beads flowed into the new vessels at a natural speed and that these actually formed cavities connected to the parent vessel. Liu et al./Nat Comm 2021 - Researchers investigate which material properties support vessel formation / Study published in the journal "Nature Communications" Using lab-created tissue to heal or replace damaged organs is one of the great visions for the future of medicine. Synthetic materials could be suitable as scaffolding for tissue because, unlike natural tissues, they remain stable in the organism long enough for the body to form new natural structures. A fundamental requirement for functional tissue is that blood vessels must be able to grow in them and connect to the organism's vascular system, so that the tissue is properly supplied with oxygen and nutrients. However, until now, almost nothing has been known about which material properties promote the growth of blood vessels.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
Your Benefits
- Access to all content
- Receive newsmails for news and jobs
- Post ads
