Applications: Microfluidic Microscopy and Co-Culture Complexity

Live Imaging of Vascular-Adipose Co-Culture in Microfluidic Systems

A recent study from the BMSE Lab at the University of Queensland, led by Mark Allenby, demonstrates a reproducible approach to forming stable microvascular networks alongside adipocyte differentiation within 3D hydrogel-based co-cultures. Utilizing telomerase-immortalized human endothelial and mesenchymal stem cells, the team has achieved concurrent vascularization and adipogenesis in a controlled microenvironment.

Central to the work is a microfluidic platform engineered to produce counter-current gradients of vasculogenic and adipogenic factors. This spatial arrangement supports the formation of physiologically relevant tissue structures and enables live-cell imaging throughout the culture period. The setup facilitates meaningful studies of vascular-adipose crosstalk by allowing precise spatiotemporal control over the culture conditions.

Time-lapse imaging was performed using the Etaluma LS720 microscope, capturing dynamic cellular behaviors over multiple days. (Note: the LS850 is Etaluma’s latest model.) At a 1:5 seeding ratio of endothelial to mesenchymal stem cells, networks remained adherent and viable through at least 7 days. Higher seeding ratios (2:1, 1:1) led to faster network formation but resulted in detachment, while lower ratios (1:2, 1:10) produced stable and branching structures.

The co-culture system also significantly enhanced adipogenic outcomes: lipid coverage reached 67% in co-culture, compared to under 2% in monoculture conditions. These results highlight the importance of engineered microenvironments in studying complex multicellular interactions.

Reference: Murphy, Franco, and Allenby, “Microfluidic Counter-Current Co-Culture to Model Adipose-Vascular Crosstalk,” Small (2025). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/smll.202501834