Development of an In Vitro Biomimetic Peripheral Neurovascular Platform

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Neurovascular (NV) tissue is crucial for organ function and homeostasis.
• Human pathologies like diabetes disrupt NV interactions, posing research challenges.
• Existing in vitro models often lack biomimetic neural and vascular components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a biomimetic in vitro neurovascular (NV) platform.
• To investigate the role of Schwann cells in NV tissue formation.
• To enable the study of NV axis in normal and pathological conditions.

Main Methods:

• Constructed an NV platform using human microvascular endothelial cells, iPSC-derived neurons, and rat Schwann cells in a fibrin scaffold.
• Investigated Schwann cell capacity to induce and stabilize vascular networks.
• Utilized Schwann cell prepatterning to control vessel orientation.
• Assessed the influence of medium and cell types on NV tissue development.

Main Results:

• Schwann cells matched human dermal fibroblasts in inducing and stabilizing vascular networks.
• Schwann cell prepatterning allowed control over vessel orientation.
• Demonstrated concomitant formation of 3D neural and vascular tissues.
• Identified optimal conditions for mature NV tissue formation.

Conclusions:

• The developed NV platform provides a versatile model for studying the neurovascular axis.
• Schwann cells are effective in promoting vascularization and guiding vessel formation.
• This platform offers a simplified, direct, and biomimetic approach for in vitro NV research.