02653nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001500042653003200057653002100089653001700110653001800127653003600145653001700181100002000198700002100218700002100239700001500260700002400275700002900299245009300328856007200421300001100493520186900504022001402373       2025                            d  c2025-05-0310aBone morphogenetic proteins10aendothelial cell10aHemodynamics10amicrofluidics10aPulmonary arterial hypertension10aShear stress1 aClarissa Becher1 aMartin Frauenlob1 aFlorian Selinger1 aPeter Ertl1 aMarie-José Goumans1 aGonzalo Sanchez-Duffhues00aA cost-effective vessel-on-a-chip for high shear stress applications in vascular biology  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026286225000330  a1048143 aThe vascular endothelium is constantly subjected to hemodynamic forces, including tangential shear stress, which are crucial for maintaining vascular homeostasis. Pathological shear stress levels, such as those observed in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or atherosclerosis, disrupt this balance, driving vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction. Current microfluidic platforms for studying these conditions are limited by high costs, excessive reagent requirements, and non-physiological channel geometries. Here we introduce a novel microfluidic chip system, a Nylon Vessel-on-Chip (NVoC) which represents a cost-effective and straightforward fabrication platform that eliminates the need for specialized equipment and enables a physiologically relevant round channel geometry. The NVoC was fabricated using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nylon threads, with surface activation achieved through polydopamine and collagen-I coating, enabling robust endothelial cell (EC) attachment and long-term culture. Immortalized endothelial colony-forming cells (iECFCs) and human umbilical vein EC (HUVECs) were used to optimize and validate the platform, demonstrating its compatibility with high shear stress conditions (up to 90 dyne/cm2) and various molecular biology techniques, including RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescent staining. With fabrication costs six times lower than commercial alternatives and overall experimental costs reduced threefold, the NVoC offers the ability to expose endothelial cells to physiological and pathological shear stress levels in a reproducible, accessible, and scalable manner. Its versatility and affordability make it a valuable tool for investigating shear stress-related mechanisms in microvascular diseases, particularly PAH, with potential applications in drug discovery and translational research.  a0026-2862