• Question: How long does it take to grow blood vessels?

    Asked by Lclark to Gemma on 10 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Gemma Barron

      Gemma Barron answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      Hi @Lclark. Thank you for your interesting question.
      I grow two different types of cells together in plastic dishes and keep them in an incubator at 37C. These cells are human endothelial cells (which are cells taken from the inside surface of blood vessels) and human fibroblasts (which are a type of cell that is responsible for the structural network in tissues). I grow my cells together over 14 days but I could grow up to 21 days if required. I stain them with specific dyes and take pictures using a light microscope. The first time I saw the blood vessels as absolutely fascinating as it grew right before my eyes. 🙂
      I hope this answers your question. Thanks, Gemma

Comments