Schematic representation of a hepatic lobule (left) and 3D view of the vascularized hepatic lobule on-chip after 9 days of culture (right) [Image courtesy of TU Wien]
Scientists from TU Wien in Austria and Keio University in Japan have developed a scalable method to create artificial blood vessels in microfluidic chips.
The researchers say that the advance could improve how researchers model organ behavior and test new drugs by enabling perfusable vascular networks that mimic real human tissue.
Organs-on-a-chip have gained traction as a promising alternative to animal testing in biomedical research, but replicating the human body’s vascular complexity has remained a persistent challenge. The new system addresses this by using ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses to form precise 3D channels within a hydrogel, a material that supports living cells while allowing nutrients and waste to pass through.
Get the full picture on Medical Design & Outsourcing
