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Manipulating Living Cells to Construct Stable 3D Cellular Assembly Without Artificial Scaffold
Published on: October 26, 2018
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Platform technology for scalable assembly of instantaneously functional mosaic tissues
Boyang Zhang1, Miles Montgomery1, Locke Davenport-Huyer1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada. ; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada.
Science Advances
|November 25, 2015
Summary
Tissue-Velcro, a novel bio-scaffold, enables rapid 3D tissue assembly and on-demand disassembly. This technology preserves cell structure and function for immediate tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Engineering functional 3D tissues requires guided cell assembly and organization.
- Current methods for tissue assembly and disassembly are often time-consuming or invasive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel bio-scaffold system for rapid, controlled 3D tissue assembly and disassembly.
- To enable instant coculture conditions and immediate functional assessment of engineered tissues.
Main Methods:
- Development of Tissue-Velcro, a bio-scaffold with a microfabricated hook and loop system.
- Utilizing topographical cues for guided cell alignment within the 2D scaffold mesh.
- Spatially defined stacking of cardiac cell layers and endothelial cell coating for coculture.
Main Results:
- Tissue-Velcro preserved guided cell alignment and enabled instant coculture setup.
- Assembled cardiac 3D tissue constructs demonstrated immediate functionality, including contraction.
- Facile, on-demand tissue disassembly was achieved without compromising structural integrity or function.
Conclusions:
- Tissue-Velcro offers a versatile platform for rapid 3D tissue engineering.
- The system facilitates immediate functional assessment and on-demand disassembly of engineered tissues.
- This technology has potential applications in regenerative medicine and drug screening.
