Figure 1

Generation of a 3D endothelial ECM.

(a) Schematic overview of the deposition process. BM materials gradually attached onto the surface of the COL1 formed prior to the deposition process and remodel into a synthetic endothelial ECM. These illustrations were created from the area corresponding to the dotted rectangle in Supplementary Figure S.2b. (b) In the deposition process, layer thickness of BM-COL1 nanofibers (h) is controlled by incubation time (t) and follows a square-root relation (inset equation), at a fixed concentration of BM solution and incubation temperature. The confocal microscopic image (inset) was obtained from the area corresponding to the dotted rectangle in Supplementary Figure S.2b, which shows the formed layer of BM-COL1 nanofibers (green, LN). Error bars, ± SEM (n = 4 ~ 6). (c) Cross-sectional images of COL1 (upper left), synthetic endothelial ECM (upper right) and an EC on the surface of the synthetic endothelial ECM (lower image). Scale bars = 4 μm.