ePubs
The open archive for STFC research publications
Home
About ePubs
Content Policies
News
Help
Privacy/Cookies
Contact ePubs
Full Record Details
Persistent URL
http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/54693
Record Status
Checked
Record Id
54693
Title
Biomimetic design of artificial micro-vasculatures for tissue engineering
Contributors
RW Barber (STFC Daresbury Lab.)
,
DR Emerson (STFC Daresbury Lab.)
Abstract
Over the last decade, highly innovative micro-fabrication techniques have been developed that are set to revolutionise the biomedical industry. Fabrication processes, such as photolithography, wet and dry etching, moulding, embossing and lamination, have been developed for a range of biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric materials. One area where these fabrication techniques could play a significant role is in the development of artificial micro-vasculatures for the creation of tissue samples for drug screening and clinical applications. Despite the enormous technological advances in the field of tissue engineering, one of the major challenges is the creation of miniaturised fluid distribution networks to transport nutrients and waste products, in order to sustain the viability of the culture. In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the development of microfluidic manifolds that mimic the hierarchical vascular and parenchymal networks found in nature. This article provides an overview of microfluidic tissue constructs, and also reviews the hydrodynamic scaling laws that underpin the fluid mechanics of vascular systems. It shows how Murray's law, which governs the optimum ratio between the diameters of the parent and daughter branches in biological networks, can be used to design the microfluidic channels in artificial vasculatures. It is shown that it is possible to introduce precise control over the shear stress or residence time in a hierarchical network, in order to aid cell adhesion and enhance the diffusion of nutrients and waste products. Finally, the paper describes the hydrodynamic extensions that are necessary in order to apply Murray's law to the rectangular channels that are often employed in artificial micro-vasculatures.
Organisation
CSE
,
CSE-CEG
,
STFC
Keywords
tissue engineering
,
lab-on-a-chip
,
microfluidics
,
biomimetics
,
Engineering
,
micro-vasculatures
,
Murray's law
Funding Information
Related Research Object(s):
Licence Information:
Language
English (EN)
Type
Details
URI(s)
Local file(s)
Year
Journal Article
ATLA - Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 38, no. Supplement 1 (2010): 67-79.
Barber_and_Emerson_ATLA_2010.pdf
2010
Showing record 1 of 1
Recent Additions
Browse Organisations
Browse Journals/Series
Login to add & manage publications and access information for OA publishing
Username:
Password:
Useful Links
Chadwick & RAL Libraries
SHERPA FACT
SHERPA RoMEO
SHERPA JULIET
Journal Checker Tool
Google Scholar