A new gel that allows the blood vessels develop in the exact shape and react to human cells in a way similar to natural blood vessels can help speed up that process.
Expert Ying Zheng of the University of Washington in Seattle (USA) and colleagues injected endothelial cells of which are blood vessel lining function, in the tiny channels within a collagen gel.
The endothelial cells scattered along the canal only a few micrometers wide and three-dimensional shape of hollow tubes, known as the micro-blood vessels.
When the researchers injected the blood into the system, moving along the blood vessels that range from sticking. Even blood can still flow smoothly when this circuit broke out a 90 degree angle.
Then the researchers added a series of proteins involved in inflammation. They found that these proteins cause blood clots inside the blood circuit, similar to what occurs in the human body.
According to experts Zheng, the system responds to stimuli in the same way of a natural system so that someday they may become useful for drug screening.
When the researchers injected the cells into the brain and body gel with protein stimulates blood vessel growth, the micro-blood vessels that they can branch out and merge with the above two types of tissue.