Development of a microvascular circulation cultivation system and its application as an in vitro cancer simulator.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02530
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 27040:Biofunction and bioprocess engineering-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Shinji Sugiura 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 副連携研究室長 (10399496)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松阪 諭 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (00372665)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 血管 / 組織工学 / 生体模倣システム / 灌流培養 / マイクロ流体デバイス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study proposed a new method for cultivating microvascular tissues in vitro using a pressure-driven biomimetic system (PD-MPS). By using the PD-MPS, blood vessels can be formed while the hydrogel is penetrated with the cultivation medium using air pressure. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were embedded in fibrin gel and introduced into the PD-MPS. Perfusion of the cultivation solution at a pressure of 2 kPa resulted in spontaneous formation of blood vessels within the fibrin gel. An increase in flow rate was observed with the formation of the blood vessels. Blood vessel formation was not observed when cultivation was conducted without perfusion. These results suggest that the PD-MPS is a simpler and more effective method for promoting blood vessel formation in comparison to traditional methods.

Free Research Field

生物化学工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究は、圧力駆動型の生体模倣システム（PD-MPS）を使用して微小血管組織の生体外培養において新たな方法を提案した。この手法は、血管組織が確実に形成された後に灌流を行わないと、血管組織が破壊される恐れのある従来の方法よりも簡便かつ効果的であることが示された。この手法は、将来的に血液脳関門モデルやオルガノイド培養、がんの転移試験等への利用が期待される微小血管の生体外培養系の開発に貢献することができる。