Schematic representation of a hepatic lobule (left) and 3D view of the vascularized hepatic lobule on-chip after 9 days of culture (right) [Image courtesy of TU Wien]
Scientists from TU Wien in Austria and Keio University in Japan have developed a scalable method to create artificial blood vessels in microfluidic chips.
The researchers say that the advance could improve how researchers model organ behavior and test new drugs by enabling perfusable vascular networks that mimic real human tissue.
Organs-on-a-chip have gained traction as a promising alternative to animal testing in biomedical research, but replicating the human body’s vascular complexity has remained a persistent challenge. The new system addresses this by using ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses to form precise 3D channels within a hydrogel, a material that supports living cells while allowing nutrients and waste to pass through.
These laser-etched channels are colonized by endothelial cells, the same type of cells that line blood vessels in the body. Once populated, the artificial vessels demonstrate natural behavior, including a physiological response to inflammation, researchers said.
“We showed that these artificial blood vessels are colonized by endothelial cells that respond just like real ones in the body,” said Alice Salvadori, a member of TU Wien’s 3D Printing and Biofabrication research group. “For example, they react to inflammation in the same way – becoming more permeable, just like real blood vessels.”
Researchers tested the technique in a liver model. The team built a liver lobule-on-chip containing a structured vascular network with a central vein and sinusoidal channels, closely mimicking the liver’s architecture in vivo. The vascularization enabled better nutrient and oxygen delivery, leading to improved metabolic activity in the lab-grown liver tissue.
The fabrication process, which involves a two-step thermal curing method to stabilize the hydrogel, enables the artificial vessels to retain their shape even after being remodeled by living cells. The team reported that they could create 30 channels in 10 minutes, about 60 times faster than earlier techniques.
“We have not only shown that we can produce artificial blood vessels that can actually be perfused. The even more important thing is: We have developed a scalable technology that can be used on an industrial scale,” said Aleksanr Ovsianikov, who leads the research group at TU Wien.
According to the researchers, the findings could help refine preclinical drug testing and improve understanding of how tissue responds to treatments at a cellular level.
Keio University collaborators emphasized the potential of combining advanced laser fabrication and microfluidic design to build more physiologically relevant tissue models.
“These models will help scientists study how the body works and may lead to better treatments and healthcare in the future,” said Ryo Sudo, a professor at Keio University.
