How blood vessel stiffness regulates their growth and maintenance

该项目旨在揭示一种未知的分子机制，即血管壁上的内皮细胞如何检测周围环境的僵硬，以调节血管的生长和维护。这一结果有望通过将尖端细胞生物学和显微技术相结合，推动机械生物学这一新兴领域的发展，这些技术是在新的3D细胞培养和独特的鹌鹑模型中进行的。这些结果的好处包括产生关于组织硬度对驱动血管形成和维持的信号机制的影响的知识。从长远来看，这一基本认识可能会促进器官生物工程等新兴产业的重大发展。

This project aims to reveal an unidentified molecular mechanism of how endothelial cells in the walls of blood vessels detect stiffness of the surrounding environment in order to regulate blood vessel growth and maintenance. The results are expected to advance the emerging field of mechanobiology by combining cutting-edge cell biology and microscopy techniques carried out in novel 3D cell culture and unique quail models. The benefits of these outcomes include generation of knowledge on the impact of tissue stiffness on the signalling mechanisms that drive formation and maintenance of blood vessels. In the long term, this fundamental understanding could give rise to major developments in emerging industries such as organ bioengineering.