Quantitative Label-Free Imaging of 3D Vascular Networks Self-Assembled in Synthetic Hydrogels
Name
nihms-1028409.pdf
Description
Accepted version
Size
3.37 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
7b4206a2638af3e247fb11800987e54d
Author(s)
Edington, Collin D
Griffith, Linda G
Date Issued
January 2019
Journal
Advanced Healthcare Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Citation
Kaushik, Gaurav et al. “Quantitative Label-Free Imaging of 3D Vascular Networks Self-Assembled in Synthetic Hydrogels.” Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 8, no. 2, 2019, e1801186 © 2019 The Author(s)
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
Vascularization is an important strategy to overcome diffusion limits and enable the formation of complex, physiologically relevant engineered tissues and organoids. Self-assembly is a technique to generate in vitro vascular networks, but engineering the necessary network morphology and function remains challenging. Here, autofluorescence multiphoton microscopy (aMPM), a label-free imaging technique, is used to quantitatively evaluate in vitro vascular network morphology. Vascular networks are generated using human embryonic stem cell–derived endothelial cells and primary human pericytes encapsulated in synthetic poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels. Two custom-built bioreactors are used to generate distinct fluid flow patterns during vascular network formation: recirculating flow or continuous flow. aMPM is used to image these 3D vascular networks without the need for fixation, labels, or dyes. Image processing and analysis algorithms are developed to extract quantitative morphological parameters from these label-free images. It is observed with aMPM that both bioreactors promote formation of vascular networks with lower network anisotropy compared to static conditions, and the continuous flow bioreactor induces more branch points compared to static conditions. Importantly, these results agree with trends observed with immunocytochemistry. These studies demonstrate that aMPM allows label-free monitoring of vascular network morphology to streamline optimization of growth conditions and provide quality control of engineered tissues.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1002/ADHM.201801186
