Fig. 1.
Artery segment reversible on-chip loading and fixation. (a) Schematic representation of a resistance artery segment consisting of endothelial cells (ECs) lining the inner wall of the vessel and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) wrapped around the lumen. The artery microenvironment is characterized by its temperature, transmural pressure, ΔP, as well as luminal and abluminal drug concentrations, Ci and Co, respectively. (b) Schematic representation of the chip containing a microchannel network, an artery loading well and an artery inspection area. (c–e) Illustrations show reversible procedures for artery segment loading, fixation and inspection. The scale bar in (c) is 500 μm long. Microchannels E1 and E2 allow fixation of the two ends of the artery segment. (e) Perfusion of fixed small artery segment from microchannel A to microchannel D (luminal side). Superfusion of the artery abluminal side (outside) from microchannel B to microchannel C, while the loading well is sealed.