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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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Protein/polysaccharide-based scaffolds mimicking native extracellular matrix for cardiac tissue engineering
Elisabetta Rosellini1, Yu Shrike Zhang2,3, Bianca Migliori2,3
1Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, Pisa, 56126, Italy.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part A
|October 21, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed protein/polysaccharide scaffolds as artificial extracellular matrix (ECM) for cardiac tissue engineering. Alginate/gelatin scaffolds showed promising results, supporting cell growth and differentiation for potential cardiac repair applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Tissue engineering utilizes scaffolds as artificial extracellular matrices (ECM) to support cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation for tissue regeneration.
- Developing suitable scaffolds is crucial for the success of tissue engineering applications, particularly in complex tissues like the heart.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize novel protein/polysaccharide-based porous scaffolds as ECM substitutes for cardiac tissue engineering.
- To evaluate the potential of alginate/gelatin scaffolds in supporting cardiomyocyte growth and differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Scaffolds were fabricated using blends of collagen or gelatin with alginate via freeze-drying, followed by ionic and chemical crosslinking.
- Morphological, physicochemical, and mechanical properties were assessed and compared to natural myocardium.
- Cellular studies involved culturing myoblasts and cardiomyocytes under static and dynamic conditions in a microfluidic bioreactor.
Main Results:
- The developed scaffolds exhibited highly porous and interconnected structures, mimicking the chemical homogeneity of natural ECM.
- Alginate/gelatin (AG) scaffolds demonstrated superior mimicry of native tissue properties, including component interactions, protein secondary structure, and swelling behavior.
- AG scaffolds showed enhanced mechanical properties and supported better myoblast adhesion, growth, and differentiation compared to other formulations.
- High viability of cardiomyocyte constructs was achieved using AG scaffolds in a dynamic microfluidic bioreactor system.
Conclusions:
- Protein/polysaccharide scaffolds, particularly alginate/gelatin blends, show significant potential as viable ECM substitutes for cardiac tissue engineering.
- The developed AG scaffolds possess favorable properties for supporting cardiomyocyte function and tissue formation.
- These findings support the use of these novel scaffolds for future applications in cardiac regenerative medicine.
