Objective

With the push to reduce in vivo approaches, the demand for microphysiological models that recapitulate the in vivo settings in vitro is dramatically increasing. This work presents an extracellular matrix-integrated microfluidic chip with a rounded microvessel of ~100-200µm in diameter. Our system displays favorable characteristics for broad user adaptation: simplified procedure for vessel creation, minimised use of reagents and cells, and the ability to couple live-cell imaging and image analysis to study dynamics of cell-microenvironment interactions in three dimensions. We show how this platform can be used to culture different endothelial cell types, and also to perform cancer transendothelial migration studies. Finally, a new technique will be introduced to enable biofibre patterning in the two-dimensional and three-dimensional formats.