Live observation of three dimensional hepatic tissue with microvascular networks.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We provide a proof-of-concept study to engineer human liver tissue with fully functional vascular networks. We established a stable 3D culture platform to vascularize h uman fetal liver cells combined with human umbilical vein endothelial and mesenchymal cell populations. In vitro vascularized fetal liver cells were intravitally monitored the dynamic cellular organizing process after implantation under transparency window (cranial window). Engineered human tissue shows multiple liver-specific features with several hepatic functions. By analysis of the resected transplanted tissues and further animal experiments, it was confirmed that the tissues possessed the nature of the mature human hepatic tissue. Our new techniques discovered here should facilitate not only for future clinical use, but also for industrial use such as drug testing.