1. Date of download: 11/13/2017
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From: Mechanical Interaction of Angiogenic Microvessels With the Extracellular Matrix
J Biomech Eng. 2014;136(2): doi: /
Figure Legend:
Angiogenic growth within unconstrained (top) and long axis constrained (bottom) vascularized constructs, showing images of different cultures at different time points of growth after initial seeding. Unconstrained gels were free-floating and allowed to contract in all directions. For the long axis constrained constructs, contraction along the long-axis was constrained by inserting a stainless steel mesh into the gel prior to polymerization. For both conditions, neovessel sprouting typically began at Day 3 of culture and well-established vascular networks formed by Day 6. Microvessels in the unconstrained constructs grew into a randomly oriented network, while vessels in the long axis constrained construct were highly aligned along the constrained axis, indicated by the black double arrow. Scale bar 200 μm.