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AIST:Research Highlights, Ex Vivo Construction of Human Biological Tissue

Life Science and Biotechnology
Ex Vivo Construction of Human Biological Tissue
KIDA Yasuyuki, MORI Nobuhito, AKAGI Yuka, TAKAYAMA Yuzo
Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute

Released: April 14, 2020

Construction of tissues with blood vessels enabling to supply oxygen, nutrition, and drugs

Figure: Point image
 

Three-dimensional tissues that mimic human organs and tumors are needed for regenerative medicine, drug discovery as well as fundamental research

Expected applications of artificially created three-dimensional tissues include pharmaceutical investigation, replacement of lost organs and tissues, and testing of anticancer drugs. However, it was a challenge to create these three-dimensional tissues with the large blood vessels (primary vessels) that can deliver liquids like the arteries in actual tissues and the capillaries that branch off from the primary vessels. This issue made it difficult to produce three-dimensional tissues to replace lost organs and tissues or to feed drugs into tissues for pharmaceutical testing.

Photo: Three-dimensional tissues
 

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.

Photo: Three-dimensional tissues
 

Creation of various types of organs and tissues

Going forward, the researchers plan to create even larger tissues (organs) and evaluate the efficacy of anticancer drugs in three-dimensional tumor models. In addition, mass production and higher functionality of tissues will be investigated, and various types of cells from living tissues or iPSC-derived cells will be used as materials to produce the brain, pancreas, and small intestines.

Photo: KIDA Yasuyuki
 

Contact for inquiries related to this theme

Photo: KIDA Yasuyuki
Stem Cell Biotechnology Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute

KIDA Yasuyuki, Group Leader,

MORI Nobuhito, AKAGI Yuka, Researchers,

TAKAYAMA Yuzo, Senior Researcher

AIST Tsukuba Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565 Japan

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