Succeeded in developing a method to create primary vessels and capillaries similar to those of actual organs
This method used the parenchymal cells responsible for organ function, vascular endothelial cells that form blood vessels, and mesenchymal stem cells that assist blood vessel formation. These cells were expanded in a culture dish, and then the cells were mixed with collagen and fed into a culture device. To produce the primary vessel, a tunnel was then constructed in this three-dimensional tissue, and vascular endothelial cells were injected into this tunnel from the flow channel of the culture device. After about two hours of incubation, the vascular endothelial cells adhered to cover the tunnel walls and form a primary vessel. The tissue was then perfused with the culture medium to promote the activity of vascular endothelial cells around the primary vessel and create capillaries.