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Methods for Forming Human Microvascular Tubes In Vitro and Measuring Their Macromolecular Permeability

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Biological Microarrays

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 671))

Abstract

This chapter describes a protocol for forming open endothelial tubes in vitro and quantifying their permeability to macromolecules. These tubes consist of confluent monolayers of human microvascular endothelial cells in perfused microfluidic collagen gels. The cylindrical geometry of the tubes mimics the shape of microvessels in vivo; it allows simultaneous and/or repeated measurements of permeability coefficients and detection of focal leaks. We have used these in vitro models to test the effects of agonists on microvascular permeability and are developing arrays of microvascular tubes to enable large-scale testing.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Bingmei Fu for many helpful discussions. This work was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (award EB005792).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Gavrielle M. Price & Joe Tien

Authors
  1. Gavrielle M. Price
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  2. Joe Tien
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , MIT Division of Health Sciences and Tech, Harvard Medical School, Landsdowne St. 65, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA

    Ali Khademhosseini

  2. , Department of Mechanical and Aerospace E, Seoul National University, Kwanak-gu, Shinlim-dong 56-1-1, Seoul, 151-742, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Kahp-Yang Suh

  3. Biophage Pharma, Inc., Royalmount Ave. 6100, Montreal, H4P 2R2, Québec, Canada

    Mohammed Zourob

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Price, G.M., Tien, J. (2011). Methods for Forming Human Microvascular Tubes In Vitro and Measuring Their Macromolecular Permeability. In: Khademhosseini, A., Suh, KY., Zourob, M. (eds) Biological Microarrays. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 671. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-551-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-551-0_17

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-934115-95-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-551-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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