Endothelial cell culture in microfluidic devices for investigating microvascular processes

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Vascular Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Microvascular dysfunction is central to diseases like sickle cell disease, malaria, thrombotic microangiopathy, and stroke.
• Current in vivo animal models have limitations in controlling experimental variables and imaging specific microvascular geometries.
• There is a need for advanced in vitro models to study microvascular pathophysiology quantitatively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the field of endothelialized microfluidic systems for studying microvascular diseases.
• To highlight fabrication methods, limitations, and applications of these advanced in vitro models.
• To discuss future directions for microfluidic technologies in vascular research.

Main Methods:

• Development of microfluidic devices incorporating endothelial cells to create "endothelialized" systems.
• Utilizing microfluidics for precise control over experimental conditions and system inputs.
• Employing advanced imaging techniques for facile observation of microvascular phenomena.

Main Results:

• Endothelialized microfluidic models accurately recapitulate physiological microvessels in vitro.
• These systems allow for quantitative control over cellular interactions and microvascular hemodynamics.
• Microfluidics overcomes key limitations of in vivo models, enabling detailed study of specific geometries like bifurcations.

Conclusions:

• Endothelialized microfluidics provides a powerful platform for investigating microvascular disease mechanisms.
• These technologies offer significant advantages for vascular biologists and bioengineers.
• Future applications hold promise for developing novel therapeutic strategies for vascular pathologies.