Integrating functional vasculature into organoid culture: A biomechanical perspective

Abstract

Mechanical factors, such as fluid shear stress, interstitial flow, and extracellular matrix properties (Fig. 1), have been increasingly appreciated as key players in regulating endothelial cell behavior and vessel formation. Incorporating all these factors into microphysiological models promises to enhance the physiological relevance of engineered in vitro microenvironments. By culturing organoids and MVNs in such mechanically defined conditions, combined with improving our understanding of the precise impacts of those factors, we anticipate that in vitro organoid models with physiologically realistic intravascular and interstitial perfusion will be achieved in the near future.