TruD technology for the study of epi- and endothelial tubes in vitro

Beyond the smallest organisms, animals rely on tubes to transport cells, oxygen, nutrients, waste products, and a great variety of secretions. The cardiovascular system, lungs, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, as well as major exocrine glands, are all composed of tubes. Paradoxically, desp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2024-05, Vol.19 (5), p.e0301099-e0301099
Main Author: Hansen, Steen H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3-D printers
Animals
Bioengineering
Cardiovascular system
Electronics industry
Endothelial Cells - cytology
Endothelial Cells - metabolism
Endothelium
Exocrine glands
Extracellular matrix
Humans
In vitro methods and tests
International economic relations
Microscopy
Nutrients
Printing, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation
Secretions
Technology application
Tubes
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Summary:Beyond the smallest organisms, animals rely on tubes to transport cells, oxygen, nutrients, waste products, and a great variety of secretions. The cardiovascular system, lungs, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, as well as major exocrine glands, are all composed of tubes. Paradoxically, despite their ubiquitous importance, most existing devices designed to study tubes are relatively complex to manufacture and/or utilize. The present work describes a simple method for generating tubes in vitro using nothing more than a low-cost 3D printer along with general lab supplies. The technology is termed "TruD", an acronym for true dimensional. Using this technology, it is readily feasible to cast tubes embedded in ECM with easy access to the lumen. The design is modular to permit more complex tube arrangements and to sustain flow. Importantly, by virtue of its simplicity, TruD technology enables typical molecular cell biology experiments where multiple conditions are assayed in replicate.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0301099