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Hydrogel-Based Engineering of Beige Adipose Tissue.
M K Vaicik1, M Morse2, A Blagajcevic2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL ; Research Service, Veteran Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL.
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B
|December 23, 2015
Summary
Researchers engineered beige adipose tissue using hydrogels and stem cells. This approach could offer a new treatment for obesity and metabolic diseases by increasing energy expenditure.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Stem Cell Biology
- Metabolic Disease Research
Background:
- Brown and beige adipose tissues are crucial for energy expenditure, offering potential treatments for obesity and metabolic disorders.
- Limited natural volumes of these tissues in adults restrict their therapeutic application.
- Engineering adipose tissue presents a viable alternative to increase functional tissue mass.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a hydrogel-based system for engineering functional beige adipose tissue.
- To assess the differentiation and function of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) within engineered scaffolds.
- To investigate the influence of scaffold properties on beige adipocyte development.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGDA) hydrogels with mechanical properties mimicking native adipose tissue.
- Culture of ASCs within hydrogels lacking adhesive sequences or degradable monomers.
- Induction of beige adipocyte differentiation and assessment of key markers like uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1).
Main Results:
- ASCs differentiated into viable, functioning adipose tissue within the hydrogels, independent of scaffold properties.
- Engineered tissue expressed native basement membrane proteins, characteristic of adipose tissue.
- Hydrogel stiffness influenced the expression of beige adipocyte markers (UCP-1, cIDEA) in differentiated ASCs.
Conclusions:
- A hydrogel-based culture system successfully supported the differentiation and function of ASCs into beige adipocytes.
- This system represents a foundational step towards engineering therapeutically relevant volumes of beige adipose tissue.
- Scaffold properties, specifically stiffness, can modulate the characteristics of engineered beige adipocytes.
