We create miniature liver modules by utilizing hepatocytes, the primary cell types found in the liver, assembled into compact clusters. However, these densely-packed clusters have limited viability on their own, as they lack the inherent blood vessels necessary to provide essential nutrients. Therefore, we engineer a vascular network around hepatocytes to ensure their long-term viability.

These images demonstrate our ability to construct functional multicellular liver tissues through a bottom-up approach, involving the assembly of hepatocytes and the facilitation of their interconnection and survival via engineered blood vessels.

The capability of individual hepatic modules to establish interconnections through the sprouting of blood vessels enables their sustained viability and facilitates their collective function as a lab-grown human liver tissue.