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Construction of a Human Aorta Smooth Muscle Cell Organ-On-A-Chip Model for Recapitulating Biomechanical Strain in the Aortic Wall
Published on: July 6, 2022
Bioengineering functional human aortic vascular smooth-muscle strips in vitro
Louise Hecker1, Luda Khait, Michael J Welsh
1Applied Physics Program, University of Michigan, Biomedical Science Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Rm. 2338, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. lhecker@umich.edu
Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry
|December 7, 2007
Summary
Researchers bioengineered functional vascular smooth muscle (VSM) strips using fibrin-gel casting. These engineered tissues mimic in vivo VSM, offering a novel in vitro model to study vascular tone regulation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction/relaxation maintains vascular tone, a key blood pressure determinant.
- Molecular mechanisms underlying VSM tone regulation remain incompletely understood.
- Three-dimensional bioengineered tissues offer potential for in vitro investigation of VSM function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To bioengineer functional VSM tissue strips using primary human aortic VSM cells.
- To characterize the functional properties and viability of the engineered VSM strips in vitro.
- To establish a novel in vitro model for studying molecular events controlling vascular tone.
Main Methods:
- Fibrin-gel casting technique utilized for bioengineering VSM strips.
- Primary human aortic VSM cells seeded within fibrin gel matrices.
- Functional assessment of engineered VSM strips, including force generation and response to stimuli.
- Assessment of VSM strip viability in culture over time.
Main Results:
- Bioengineered VSM strips demonstrated functional similarity to in vivo VSM.
- Engineered tissues remained viable in culture for up to 5 weeks.
- VSM strips exhibited spontaneous basal tone and generated active force (up to 85.2 microN) upon phenylephrine stimulation.
- Contraction was Ca(2+)-dependent, while relaxation was calcium-independent.
Conclusions:
- Functional bioengineered VSM tissue strips were successfully created using fibrin-gel casting.
- These engineered VSM tissues serve as a viable and functional in vitro model.
- This model system facilitates the investigation of molecular mechanisms governing vascular tone regulation.
