Researchers take steps to growing replacement blo...( hines called angiochips. Once ...),Health

This relates to his other work in the Biomedical Engineering Center at Ohio State, Moldovan said. There the aim is to the stimulate capillary growth by angiogenic drugs released from implantable silicon capsules.

"We probably couldn't bring tissue back in its original form, but we could try to re-vascularize, to make a heart beat again. Or, at least, keep the heart tissue from dying by creating new capillaries that would provide blood and oxygen as soon as possible," he said.

When it comes time to create three-dimensional molds to shape the capillaries, the researchers will turn from gel to silicon, Moldovan said. Methods already exist to create complex 3D shapes in the metal, he said, and his previous research demonstrated that endothelial cells could grow on silicon.

"Once we have proof that we can grow cells in specific three-dimensional shapes on or inside silicon, then we hope to come back to the tissue," he said.

'"/>

Contact: Nicanor Moldovan
Moldovan.6@osu.edu
614-688-4739
Ohio State University
25-Sep-2000