Passive recruitment of circulating leukocytes into capillary sprouts from existing capillaries in a microfluidic system

Recent evidence implicating leukocytes in angiogenesis raises the question of whether leukocytes and other cells circulating with the blood in microvascular networks can home to capillary sprouts intraluminally. This study describes an investigation of leukocyte trafficking in sprouting capillaries...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Lab on a chip 2011-01, Vol.11 (11), p.1924-1932
Main Authors: Forouzan, Omid, Burns, Jennie M, Robichaux, Jennifer L, Murfee, Walter L, Shevkoplyas, Sergey S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bifurcations
Blood
Blood Cell Count
Capillaries - cytology
Capillarity
Cell Adhesion
Cell Movement
Circulating
Comet tails
Computer Simulation
Erythrocytes - cytology
Hemodynamics
Humans
Leukocytes
Leukocytes - cytology
Microcirculation
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques - methods
Microtechnology - methods
Models, Biological
Recruitment
Trains
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Recent evidence implicating leukocytes in angiogenesis raises the question of whether leukocytes and other cells circulating with the blood in microvascular networks can home to capillary sprouts intraluminally. This study describes an investigation of leukocyte trafficking in sprouting capillaries fabricated using soft lithography. The leukocytes passing with whole blood through existing capillaries were able to enter microfabricated capillary sprouts of variable length and sprouting angle due to the mechanical interaction with red blood cells (RBCs) at the sprouting bifurcation, in spite of the complete absence of blood flow through the blind-ended sprouts or any chemoattractants. The RBCs formed "comet tails" (the densely packed cellular trains forming behind leukocytes as they move through narrow capillaries) and effectively pushed leukocytes into the microfabricated sprouts while bypassing them at the sprouting bifurcation. Individual sprouts filled with several leukocytes, as wells as RBCs and platelets, were observed. The results of this study suggest that (i) blood cells are likely present in capillary sprouts throughout their development, (ii) leukocytes and other circulating cells may use this mechanism to home to capillary sprouts intraluminally for direct engraftment, and (iii) tissues may use this phenomenon as another mechanism for local recruitment of leukocytes from the blood stream.
ISSN:1473-0197
1473-0189
DOI:10.1039/c0lc00547a