Artificial Blood Vessels Grow On Nano-Template 49
Invisible Pink Unicorn writes "Researchers at MIT have found a way to induce cells to form parallel tube-like structures that could one day lead to tiny engineered blood vessels. The researchers found that they can control the cells' development by growing them on a surface with nano-scale patterning. The work focuses on vascular tissue, which includes capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels. The team has created a surface that can serve as a template to grow capillary tubes aligned in a specific direction. The cells, known as endothelial progenitor cells, not only elongate in the direction of the grooves, but also align themselves along the grooves. That results in a multicellular structure with defined edges — a band structure. Once the band structures form, the researchers apply a commonly used gel that induces cells to form three-dimensional tubes."
Tube-like structures (Score:5, Funny)
I can't wait for the Micheal Crichton thriller (Score:5, Funny)
. . . well, I'd write more, but there's a screenwriters strike on, and I don't want to come across as a scab.
How many more times? (Score:5, Funny)
Gel... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:This seems like a natural step... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:The better question is: why? (Score:3, Funny)
Better known as a meat bot, the T9000 will do your housework, take the kids to school and give you a foot massage after a long days work without any of that nagging and yelling.