Journal: Fluids and Barriers of the CNS
Article Title: Building the blood-brain barrier: a scalable self-assembling 3D model of the brain microvasculature under unidirectional flow
doi: 10.1186/s12987-026-00765-x
Figure Lengend Snippet: Brain endothelial cells, pericytes, and astrocytes self-assemble into vascular networks in the OrganoPlate Graft 48 UF. ( A ) The OrganoPlate Graft 48 UF is based on a modified 384-well microtiter plate format where long wells are created by merging 3 wells of the titer plate together to link perfusion channels fluidically. It contains 48 chips that can be used to model a BBB vascular network. Each chip comprises a gel chamber (blue) and two perfusion lanes (red, orange). ( B ) Human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs), astrocytes, and pericytes are embedded in an extracellular matrix gel and seeded to the gel chamber of each chip. Next, HBMECs are seeded in the adjacent perfusion lanes and form vessel-like structures against the extracellular matrix gel. The cells self-assemble into a 3D BBB network. ( C ) Perfusion is generated by placing the OrganoPlate Graft 48 UF on a rocker platform that induces gravity-driven fluid flow. When the angle of inclination is negative, medium is routed through the short channel only and split down two paths: (1) through the gel chamber and towards the long channel (bottom to top of the gel chamber) and (2) continuing through the short channel. ( D ) When the angle of inclination is positive, medium is flowing through the short channel in opposite direction, dividing into similar flow patterns from bottom to top of the gel chamber into the long channel and some flow continuing through the short channel. Red arrow indicates flow direction. ( E ) Phase contrast pictures of BBB monocultures and co-cultures obtained on day 7 after seeding. Scale bar = 200 µm
Article Snippet: The OrganoPlate Graft 48 UF chip design includes a graft chamber lined by a long and a short channel.
Techniques: Modification, Generated
