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. 2020 Oct 27;11:5426. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19197-8

Fig. 1. Fabrication and characterization of tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs.).

Fig. 1

a Under healthy conditions (i), monocytes do not adhere to the endothelium. Under disease conditions (ii), modified forms of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or cytokines such as TNFα, activate the endothelium to increase expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules and release cytokines that enable monocytes to adhere to the endothelium and transmigrate into the media. Modified LDL in the media is taken up by monocytes/macrophages and hSMCs (human smooth muscle cells) becoming foam cells. b Schematic diagram of the perfusion system. c Bright-field views of TEBV. Scale bar = 200 µm. d Cross-sectional view of 2-layer TEBV showing an intact CD31 positive endothelium; Scale bar = 200 µm. e En face view of lumen showing CD31 positive endothelium overlying αSMA positive hNDF; Scale bar = 100 µm. f 3D view of opened TEBV (d–f: CD31-red, αSMA-green, DAPI-blue). g Cross-sectional view of 3-layer TEBV: endothelial layer (CD31-red), smooth muscle cell layer (cell tracker-yellow), fibroblast layer (αSMA-green); Scale bar = 200 µm.