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Updated: Jun 3, 2025
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Microfluidic Bioprinting for Engineering Vascularized Tissues and Organoids
Published on: August 11, 2017
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Integrating microfluidic and bioprinting technologies: advanced strategies for tissue vascularization
Xuan Mei1, Ziyi Yang1,2, Xiran Wang1,3
1Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. yszhang@bwh.harvard.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|January 8, 2025
Summary
Tissue engineering faces vascularization challenges. Microfluidics and bioprinting offer innovative solutions for creating blood vessel networks, advancing regenerative medicine and tissue development.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Vascularization is critical for engineered tissue survival and function, yet inadequate blood vessel formation limits nutrient supply.
- The human vascular system is essential for cellular function, nutrient exchange, and waste removal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the impact of microfluidic and bioprinting technologies on vascularization strategies in tissue engineering.
- To highlight advancements in creating functional vascular networks for regenerative medicine applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing microfluidic devices to emulate natural blood vessels for studying angiogenesis and microvascular network formation.
- Employing bioprinting technologies for precise cell and biomaterial placement to construct vascular structures.
- Investigating the synergy of microfluidics and bioprinting, including microfluidic bioprinting.
Main Results:
- Microfluidic devices facilitate the investigation of angiogenesis and microvascular network development.
- Bioprinting enables the creation of vascular structures mimicking native vessels.
- The combination of microfluidics and bioprinting presents novel possibilities for vascularization.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidics and bioprinting are transformative technologies for addressing vascularization challenges in tissue engineering.
- These advancements hold significant promise for regenerative medicine, including tissue transplantation, disease modeling, and drug testing.
