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Tissue Engineering: Construction of a Multicellular 3D Scaffold for the Delivery of Layered Cell Sheets
Published on: October 3, 2014
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Facile cell sheet manipulation and transplantation by using in situ gelation method
Jun Akimoto1, Ayumi Arauchi, Masamichi Nakayama
1Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University (TWIns), Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan.
Summary
A new in situ gelation method simplifies transferring cell sheets for regenerative medicine. This technique preserves cell viability and shape, enabling efficient tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Cell sheets from temperature-responsive dishes (TRDs) are promising for tissue reconstruction.
- Handling and transferring thin cell sheets presents significant challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile and efficient method for transferring cell sheets.
- To overcome the limitations of conventional cell sheet manipulation techniques.
Main Methods:
- Developed an in situ gelation method using gelatin hydrogel and a support membrane.
- Simultaneously performed gelation and low-temperature harvesting (20°C) on TRDs.
- Transferred harvested cell sheets to target surfaces via short incubation at 37°C.
Main Results:
- Efficiently harvested confluent cells within 5 minutes, maintaining viability, extracellular matrix, and shape.
- Demonstrated successful cell sheet transfer to various surfaces, including mouse subcutis and liver.
- The gelatin gel layer reinforced cell-membrane interaction without special devices.
Conclusions:
- The in situ gelation method offers a robust and versatile approach for cell sheet manipulation.
- This technique is promising for advancing cell sheet-based tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
- Applicable to various cell types, enhancing the utility of cell sheet technology.
