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Engineering a Bilayered Hydrogel to Control ASC Differentiation
Published on: May 25, 2012
Hyaluronic acid hydrogels, as a biological macromolecule-based platform for stem cells delivery and their fate
Yu Fang1, Lele Shi1, Zhiwei Duan1
1Henan Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Precise Synthesis of Fluorine-Containing Drugs, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, Henan 455000, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of New Opto-Electronic Functional Materials of Henan Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, Henan 455000, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Stem cell-based therapies offer numerous potentials to repair damaged or defective organs. The therapeutic outcomes of human studies, however, fall far short from what is expected. Enhancing stem cells local density and longevity would possibly maximize their healing potential. One promising strategy is to administer stem cells via injectable hydrogels. However, stem cells differentiation process is a delicate matter which is easily affected by various factors such as their interaction with their surrounding materials. Among various biomaterial options for hydrogels' production, hyaluronic acid (HA) has shown great promise. HA is a naturally occurring biological macromolecule, a polysaccharide of large molecular weight which is involved in cell proliferation, cell migration, angiogenesis, fetal development, and tissue function. In the current study we will discuss the applications, prospects, and challenges of HA-based hydrogels in stem cell delivery and fate control.

