Angiogenesis Evaluation Techniques Developed by Using Microfluidic Devices

Abstract

The blood vessels are important tissues that carry blood throughout the body and are associated with various diseases. Therefore, bioassays have been conducted using animal blood vessels and cells for the development of therapeutic agents and treatment methods. Many animal experiments have been conducted using mouse skin or chicken egg, and cell-based experiments have been conducted using vascular endothelial cells. In contrast, bioassays using biomimetic models based on microfluidic devices called Organ-on-a-Chip or Microphysiological Systems (MPS) have been attracting attention in recent years. Various bioassays have been developed, including permeability tests of vascular endothelial cells cultured on a porous membrane, chemotaxis tests under a concentration gradient of stimulant or oxygen, and tests related to angiogenesis in a hydrogel, and are expected to contribute to medical physiology research.