Electrical detachment of cells for engineering capillary-like structures in a photocrosslinkable hydrogel.

A major challenge in tissue engineering is the fabrication of vascular networks capable of delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout tissue constructs. Because cells located more than a few hundred micrometers away from the nearest capillaries are susceptible to oxygen shortages, it is crucial to develop microscale technologies for engineering a vascular structure in three-dimensionally thick tissues. This study describes an electrochemical approach for fabricating capillary-like structures precisely aligned within micrometer distances, the internal surfaces of which are covered with vascular endothelial cells in a photocrosslinkable hydrogel.