Figure 3

Overview of tissue engineering constructs. Endothelial cells encapsulated within a (A) hydrogel and (B) seeded on a solid scaffold. Only functional capillaries with lumen form in hydrogels. (C) Hybrid construct combining the tube forming capabilities of the hydrogel with the structural support of a scaffold. (D) Photolithography used to etch microchannels into a silicon master mold. Biomaterial cast into mold to create a patterned surface. Patterned layer bonded to flat unpatterned surface to create closed system. Multiple layers can be fused together to create larger 3D constructs. (E) Biodegradable material dissolves in biomaterial to leave patterned microchannels. (F) Whole tissue organs decellularized leaving the ECM intact with a hollow vasculature network that can later be re-seeded with endothelial cells. (G) Cell sheeting engineering used to create vascularized 3D constructs by sandwiching endothelial cell sheets with non-endothelial cell sheets together.