Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2025
Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling
Published on: May 31, 2017
Innervating 3D in vitro models: bioengineering and design blueprints
Mariana-Tomás de Carvalho1, Margarida Henriques-Pereira1, Maria V Monteiro1
1Department of Chemistry, Centre for Research in Ceramics and Composite Materials (CICECO)-Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Cellularis Biomodels, Parque de Ciência e Inovação (PCI) Creative Science Park, Aveiro Region, Via do Conhecimento, 3830-352 Ílhavo, Portugal.
Abstract:
Innervation plays a key role in tissue homeostasis, disease, and repair throughout our lifetimes. Strategies for emulating innervation and its bioinstructive influence on surrounding cells are thus highly desirable to upgrade the organotypic features of human in vitro models. We delve into the latest strategies for generating innervated 3D models that mimic native innervation patterns, and highlight recent advances in bioengineering living platforms for emulating the effect of innervation during tissue regeneration or for recapitulating tumor-nerve interplay. We present an overview of the key design blueprints for generating innervated tissue models, highlight the challenges to be overcome, and discuss the biomedical breakthroughs that can branch from such in vitro platforms.
