In chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma, the cells and extracellular matrix of the liver undergo significant alteration in response to chronic injury. Recent literature has highlighted the critical, but less studied, role of the liver vasculature in the progression of chronic liver diseases. Recent advancements in liver-on-a-chip systems has allowed in depth investigation of the role that the hepatic vasculature plays both in response to, and progression of, chronic liver disease. In this review, we first introduce the structure, gradients, mechanical properties, and cellular composition of the liver and describe how these factors influence the vasculature. We summarize state-of-the-art vascularized liver-on-a-chip platforms for investigating biological models of chronic liver disease and their influence on the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells of the hepatic vasculature. We conclude with a discussion of how future developments in the field may affect the study of chronic liver diseases, and drug development and testing.
Keywords: chronic liver diseases; hepatology; microfluidics; organ-on-a-chip; tissue engineering; vascular diseases.