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Artificial Blood Vessels Grow On Nano-Template

Posted by kdawson on from the hemo-the-magnificent dept.

Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "Researchers at MIT have found a way to induce cells to form parallel tube-like structures that could one day lead to tiny engineered blood vessels. The researchers found that they can control the cells' development by growing them on a surface with nano-scale patterning. The work focuses on vascular tissue, which includes capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels. The team has created a surface that can serve as a template to grow capillary tubes aligned in a specific direction. The cells, known as endothelial progenitor cells, not only elongate in the direction of the grooves, but also align themselves along the grooves. That results in a multicellular structure with defined edges — a band structure. Once the band structures form, the researchers apply a commonly used gel that induces cells to form three-dimensional tubes."

3 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. haha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    you has a small penis!

  2. tr0lL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Shout the lotudest

  3. Re:Tube-like structures by Fyre2012 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    in Soviet Cupertino, iPod owns you!

    i know, i know... i just couldn't resist ;)

    --
    This is not the greatest .sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.