figure 1.

Organotypic lymphatic vessel model. a) Top view of an assembled microdevice (left) with a cross-sectional view of the device showing the lymphatic endothelial cells lining the lumen structure within a collagen matrix (right). b) Representative image of microdevice array. Microdevices were filled with a blue dye for visualization purposes. c) Microdevice design and fabrication scheme. 1) The device consists of two PDMS layers bonded together with a suspended PDMS rod. The PDMS layers defined the microchamber, while the rod allows for the generation of the lumen structure. The top layer of the microdevice contains ports for fluid handling and a cover for the microchamber. For device operation, after plasma bonding to a glass-bottom dish: 2) the microchamber is filled with a hydrogel solution and left to polymerize, 3) lumen rod is removed exposing an empty lumen within the hydrogel, 4) cells are seeded into the lumen with media and cultured at 37ºC. d) Top view of a lymphatic vessel stained with a classical endothelial cell junction marker, cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31), and nuclei. e) Orthogonal view of the vessel. Scale bar= 140 μm f) confocal image of the lymphatic vessel showing a 3d tubular structure. g) Top view of cultured vessels stained with a lymphatic-specific marker, prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX-1), and F-actin. Scale bar = 70 μm.