Development of a Microvascular Network in a Microfluidic Model

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. 2021. Major: Biomedical Engineering. Advisor: David Wood. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 47 pages.The development of a physiologically relevant, in vitro microvasculature network platform is an important goal across a variety of applications including perfusable tissue graft development, physiologically relevant drug screening platforms and the modeling of dysfunctional vasculature in disease states such as cancer and diabetes. Vascular network development and formation is enhanced through a defined extracellular matrix composition, specific combinations of growth factors and flow control in a microfluidic device. The objective for the project outlined here is develop a working model of vasculogenesis and to further the understanding of how various factors can influence the growth and development of a microvasculature network. Here, a three-channel microfluidic device was designed and optimized to provide an adequate environment to foster vessel development. A range of factors were tuned including ECM composition, endothelial cell density, fluid flow control and growth factor conditions. The importance of the work presented here is the resulting functional model of a microvasculature network that can be implemented in future studies in the Wood Lab to make platforms more physiologically relevant