Adipose-derived cells: building blocks of three-dimensional microphysiological systems

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Microphysiological systems (MPS) offer an in vitro alternative to animal models, with significant implications for medicine and drug development.
• Adipose tissue provides accessible human stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) for these models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the use of adipose-derived cells in three-dimensional MPS models.
• To compare the advantages and disadvantages of SVF cells versus ASCs in MPS.
• To explore future directions for adipose-derived cell-based MPS.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on three-dimensional MPS utilizing adipose-derived cells.
• Comparison of SVF cells and ASCs within MPS contexts.
• Analysis of MPS models under various differentiation conditions (angiogenic, stromal, adipogenic, osteogenic).

Main Results:

• Adipose-derived cells (SVF and ASCs) are versatile components for creating functional three-dimensional MPS.
• MPS models can be cultured under specific conditions to mimic various tissue types.
• Both SVF and ASCs show potential, with distinct characteristics influencing model development.

Conclusions:

• Adipose-derived cells are fundamental to developing advanced three-dimensional MPS for research and development.
• MPS utilizing these cells can reduce, refine, and replace animal testing, enhancing clinical translation.
• The field is rapidly evolving, with adipose-derived cells poised to play a crucial role in future discovery research.