Fabrication of Cell-Adhesion Surface and Arteriole Model by Photolithography

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 535-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumihito Arai ◽  
◽  
Takuma Nakano ◽  
Mika Tada ◽  
Yu-Ching Lin ◽  
...  

We have been developing scaffolds of three-dimensional (3D) synthetic vascular prosthesis in tailor-made. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) attached on the inner surface of the scaffold have anticoagulant effects. Asperity structures of the inner surface are important to cell adhesion. It is important to quantify the inner surface asperity condition of the scaffold by observing HUVECs behavior and morphology. For this purpose, we recreated the inner surface profile of the scaffold on a poly(dimethilsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate by microfabrication. We made semiround convex patterns of resist that had 8 µm in diameter and 5 µm high using photolithography, and the concave pattern on the PDMS substrate by printing. We observed HUVECs adhering to the PDMS substrate having concave pattern on it surface. The distribution density of the concaves of the tested pattern is 1600 /mm2or 40,000 in a 25 mm2area. In addition, we fabricated an arteriole model by photolithography, creating an arteriole tube model that had 1.1 cm long and 300-400 µm in diameter. We confirmed that the arteriole model had no leakage using a methylene blue solution flow in the channel.

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1217
Author(s):  
Jang Ho Ha ◽  
Jae Hyun Lim ◽  
Ji Woon Kim ◽  
Hyeon-Yeol Cho ◽  
Seok Geun Jo ◽  
...  

Blended hydrogels play an important role in enhancing the properties (e.g., mechanical properties and conductivity) of hydrogels. In this study, we generated a conductive blended hydrogel, which was achieved by mixing gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) with collagen, and silver nanowire (AgNW). The ratio of GelMA, collagen and AgNW was optimized and was subsequently gelated by ultraviolet light (UV) and heat. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the conductive blended hydrogels showed that collagen and AgNW were present in the GelMA hydrogel. Additionally, rheological analysis indicated that the mechanical properties of the conductive GelMA–collagen–AgNW blended hydrogels improved. Biocompatibility analysis confirmed that the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) encapsulated within the three-dimensional (3D), conductive blended hydrogels were highly viable. Furthermore, we confirmed that the molecule in the conductive blended hydrogel was released by electrical stimuli-mediated structural deformation. Therefore, this conductive GelMA–collagen–AgNW blended hydrogel could be potentially used as a smart actuator for drug delivery applications.


Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Kyo-in Koo ◽  
Andreas Lenshof ◽  
Le Thi Huong ◽  
Thomas Laurell

In the field of engineered organ and drug development, three-dimensional network-structured tissue has been a long-sought goal. This paper presents a direct hydrogel extrusion process exposed to an ultrasound standing wave that aligns fibroblast cells to form a network structure. The frequency-shifted (2 MHz to 4 MHz) ultrasound actuation of a 400-micrometer square-shaped glass capillary that was continuously perfused by fibroblast cells suspended in sodium alginate generated a hydrogel string, with the fibroblasts aligned in single or quadruple streams. In the transition from the one-cell stream to the four-cell streams, the aligned fibroblast cells were continuously interconnected in the form of a branch and a junction. The ultrasound-exposed fibroblast cells displayed over 95% viability up to day 10 in culture medium without any significant difference from the unexposed fibroblast cells. This acoustofluidic method will be further applied to create a vascularized network by replacing fibroblast cells with human umbilical vein endothelial cells.


2004 ◽  
Vol 382 (3) ◽  
pp. 933-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironobu YAMASHITA ◽  
Akira GOTO ◽  
Tatsuhiko KADOWAKI ◽  
Yasuo KITAGAWA

We have previously shown that the LG4 (laminin G-like) domain of the laminin α4 chain is responsible for the significantly higher affinity of the α4 chain to heparin than found for other α chains [Yamaguchi, Yamashita, Mori, Okazaki, Nomizu, Beck and Kitagawa (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 29458–29465]; four basic residues were identified to be essential for this activity [Yamashita, Beck and Kitagawa (2004) J. Mol. Biol. 335, 1145–1149]. By creating GST (glutathione S-transferase)-fused LG1, LG2, LG4 and LG5 proteins, we found that only LG4 is active for the adhesion of human HT1080 cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells and Drosophila haemocytes Kc167 with a half-saturating concentration of 20 μg/ml. Adhesion was counteracted by treatment of the cells with heparin, heparan sulphate and heparitinase I. Upon mutating the four basic residues essential for heparin binding within LG4, the adhesion activity was abolished. Pull-down experiments using glutathione beads/GST-fusion proteins indicate a direct interaction of LG4 with syndecan-4, which might be the major receptor for cell adhesion. Neither the release of glypican-1 by treating human cells with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C nor targeted knockdown of dally or dally-like protein impaired the cell-adhesion activity. As the LG4–LG5 domain of the α4 chain is cleaved in vivo from the main body of laminin-8 (α4β1γ1), we suggest that the heparan sulphate proteoglycan-binding activity of LG4 is significant in modulating the signalling of Wnt, Decapentaplegic and fibroblast growth factors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (21) ◽  
pp. 5383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Feifei Wang ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Qiuming Liang ◽  
Shumei Wang ◽  
...  

Inflammation is a key mediator in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). Benzoinum, a resin secreted from the bark of Styrax tonkinensis, has been widely used as a form of traditional Chinese medicine in clinical settings to enhance cardiovascular function, but the active components of the resin responsible for those pharmaceutical effects remain unclear. To better clarify these components, a new phenylpropane derivative termed stybenpropol A was isolated from benzoinum and characterized via comprehensive spectra a nalysis. We further assessed how this phenylpropane derivative affected treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Our results revealed that stybenpropol A reduced soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression by ELISA, inhibited apoptosis, and accelerated nitric oxide (NO) release in TNF-α-treated HUVECs. We further found that stybenpropol A decreased VCAM-1, ICAM-1, Bax, and caspase-9 protein levels, and increased the protein levels of Bcl-2, IKK-β, and IκB-α. This study identified a new, natural phenylpropane derivative of benzoinum, and is the first to reveal its cytoprotective effects in the context of TNF-α-treated HUVECs via regulation of the NF-κB and caspase-9 signaling pathways.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 592-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Felice ◽  
Ester Belardinelli ◽  
Alessandro Frullini ◽  
Tatiana Santoni ◽  
Egidio Imbalzano ◽  
...  

Objectives Aminaphtone, a naphtohydrochinone used in the treatment of capillary disorders, may affect oedema in chronic venous insufficiency. Aim of study is to investigate the effect of aminaphtone on vascular endothelial permeability in vitro and its effects on three-dimensional capillary-like structures formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Method Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with 50 ng/ml VEGF for 2 h and aminaphtone for 6 h. Permeability assay, VE-cadherin expression and Matrigel assay were performed. Results VEGF-induced permeability was significantly decreased by aminaphtone in a range concentration of 1–20 µg/ml. Aminaphtone restored VE-cadherin expression. Finally, 6 h pre-treatment with aminaphtone significantly preserved capillary-like structures formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells on Matrigel up to 48 h compared to untreated cells. Conclusions Aminaphtone significantly protects endothelium permeability and stabilises endothelial cells organised in capillary-like structures, modulating VE-cadherin expression. These data might explain the clinical benefit of aminaphtone on chronic venous insufficiency.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makarand V. Risbud ◽  
Erdal Karamuk ◽  
René Moser ◽  
Joerg Mayer

Three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds offer an exciting possibility to develop cocultures of various cell types. Here we report chitosan–collagen hydrogel-coated fabric scaffolds with defined mesh size and fiber diameter for 3-D culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). These scaffolds did not require pre-coating with fibronectin and they supported proper HUVEC attachment and growth. Scaffolds preserved endothelial cell-specific cobblestone morphology and cells were growing in compartments defined by the textile mesh. HUVECs on the scaffold maintained the property of contact inhibition and did not exhibit overgrowth until the end of in vitro culture (day 6). MTT assay showed that cells had preserved mitochondrial functionality. It was also noted that cell number on the chitosan-coated scaffold was lower than that of collagen-coated scaffolds. Calcein AM and ethidium homodimer (EtD-1) dual staining demonstrated presence of viable and metabolically active cells, indicating growth supportive properties of the scaffolds. Actin labeling revealed absence of actin stress fibers and uniform distribution of F-actin in the cells, indicating their proper attachment to the scaffold matrix. Confocal microscopic studies showed that HUVECs growing on the scaffold had preserved functionality as seen by expression of von Willebrand (vW) factor. Observations also revealed that functional HUVECs were growing at various depths in the hydrogel matrix, thus demonstrating the potential of these scaffolds to support 3-D growth of cells. We foresee the application of this scaffold system in the design of liver bioreactors wherein hepatocytes could be cocultured in parallel with endothelial cells to enhance and preserve liver-specific functions.


Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqian Fang ◽  
Dong H Kim ◽  
Teresa Santiago-Sim

Introduction: An intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a weak spot in cerebral blood vessel wall that can lead to its abnormal bulging. Previously, we reported that mutations in THSD1 , encoding thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing protein 1, are associated with IA in a subset of patients. THSD1 is a transmembrane molecule with a thrombospondin type-1 repeat (TSR). Proteins with TSR domain have been implicated in a variety of processes including regulation of matrix organization, cell adhesion and migration. We have shown that in mouse brain Thsd1 is expressed in endothelial cells. Hypothesis: THSD1 plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the endothelium by promoting adhesion of endothelial cells to the underlying basement membrane. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells are used to investigate the role of THSD1 in vitro . THSD1 expression was knocked-down by RNA interference. Cell adhesion assay was done on collagen I-coated plates and focal adhesion formation was visualized using immunofluorescence by paxillin and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (pFAK) staining. THSD1 re-expression is accomplished by transfection with a pCR3.1-THSD1-encoding plasmid. Results: Knockdown of THSD1 caused striking change in cell morphology and size. Compared to control siRNA-treated cells that exhibited typical cobblestone morphology, THSD1 knockdown cells were narrow and elongated, and were significantly smaller ( p <0.01). Cell adherence to collagen I-coated plates was also attenuated in THSD1 knockdown cells ( p <0.01). Consistent with this finding is the observation that the number and size of focal adhesions, based on paxillin and pFAK staining, were significantly reduced after THSD1 knockdown ( p <0.01). These defects in cell adhesion and focal adhesion formation were rescued by re-expression of wild type THSD1 ( p <0.05). In contrast, initial studies indicate that expression of mutated versions of THSD1 as seen in human patients (L5F, R450*, E466G, P639L) could not restore cell adhesion and focal adhesion formation to wild type levels. Conclusions: Our studies provide evidence for a role of THSD1 and THSD1 mutations in endothelial cell adhesion and suggest a possible mechanism underlying THSD1 -mediated aneurysm disease.


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