TY - JOUR
T1 - Silicon micromachining to tissue engineer branched vascular channels for liver fabrication
AU - Kaihara, Satoshi
AU - Borenstein, Jeffrey
AU - Koka, Rahul
AU - Lalan, Sonal
AU - Ochoa, Erin R.
AU - Ravens, Michael
AU - Pien, Homer
AU - Cunningham, Brian
AU - Vacanti, Joseph P.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - To date, many approaches to engineering new tissue have emerged and they have all relied on vascularization from the host to provide permanent engraftment and mass transfer of oxygen and nutrients. Although this approach has been useful in many tissues, it has not been as successful in thick, complex tissues, particularly those comprising the large vital organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart. In this study, we report preliminary results using micromachining technologies on silicon and Pyrex surfaces to generate complete vascular systems that may be integrated with engineered tissue before implantation. Using standard photolithography techniques, trench patterns reminiscent of branched architecture of vascular and capillary networks were etched onto silicon and Pyrex surfaces to serve as templates. Hepatocytes and endothelial cells were cultured and subsequently lifted as single-cell monolayers from these two-dimensional molds. Both cell types were viable and proliferative on these surfaces. In addition, hepatocytes maintained albumin production. The lifted monolayers were then folded into compact three-dimensional tissues. Thus, with the use microfabrication technology in tissue engineering, it now seems feasible to consider lifting endothelial cells as branched vascular networks from two-dimensional templates that may ultimately be combined with layers of parenchymal tissue, such as hepatocytes, to form three-dimensional conformations of living vascularized tissue for implantation.
AB - To date, many approaches to engineering new tissue have emerged and they have all relied on vascularization from the host to provide permanent engraftment and mass transfer of oxygen and nutrients. Although this approach has been useful in many tissues, it has not been as successful in thick, complex tissues, particularly those comprising the large vital organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart. In this study, we report preliminary results using micromachining technologies on silicon and Pyrex surfaces to generate complete vascular systems that may be integrated with engineered tissue before implantation. Using standard photolithography techniques, trench patterns reminiscent of branched architecture of vascular and capillary networks were etched onto silicon and Pyrex surfaces to serve as templates. Hepatocytes and endothelial cells were cultured and subsequently lifted as single-cell monolayers from these two-dimensional molds. Both cell types were viable and proliferative on these surfaces. In addition, hepatocytes maintained albumin production. The lifted monolayers were then folded into compact three-dimensional tissues. Thus, with the use microfabrication technology in tissue engineering, it now seems feasible to consider lifting endothelial cells as branched vascular networks from two-dimensional templates that may ultimately be combined with layers of parenchymal tissue, such as hepatocytes, to form three-dimensional conformations of living vascularized tissue for implantation.
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U2 - 10.1089/107632700320739
DO - 10.1089/107632700320739
M3 - Article
C2 - 10941206
AN - SCOPUS:0033993750
SN - 1076-3279
VL - 6
SP - 105
EP - 117
JO - Tissue Engineering
JF - Tissue Engineering
IS - 2
ER -