Epithelial tubes formation during the embryogenesis is found in several organs across the body and serve important roles in the transport of gases, liquids, metabolites or cells, and provide proper environment for metabolic activities. Although, the epithelial tube formation is challenging to study, as they are fairly inaccessible to optical observation in vivo, and in vitromethods are mainly based on 2D cell culture.

My project focuses on the effect of a physical constriction in a cylindrical geometry imposed to an epithelial tissue and the large-scale reorganisation of the tissue. 3D-printed microfluidics assisted methods considerably facilitate the observation of tube formation by constraining epithelial cells in a hollow permeable elastic alginate tube. This technique supports a better understanding of epithelial morphogenesis (Alessandri K. et al., 2016). It can help decipher the specific impact of micro-environmental factors, as well as tissue response to physical constriction.