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An Additive Manufacturing Technique for the Facile and Rapid Fabrication of Hydrogel-based Micromachines with Magnetically Responsive Components
Published on: July 18, 2018
Hydrogel assisted photoreceptor delivery inhibits material transfer
Margaret T Ho1, Arturo Ortin-Martinez2, Nicole E Yan3
1Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Biomaterials in cell therapy for vision restoration can impact donor cell communication. Hyaluronan-based hydrogels reduced photoreceptor material transfer by limiting cell-cell contact, offering a new strategy for controlling cell behavior.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Cell therapy offers potential for vision restoration, but donor cell survival and integration remain challenges.
- Transplanted photoreceptors transfer cytoplasmic material to host cells, suggesting a protein augmentation strategy.
- Hyaluronan-based hydrogels are known to support cell survival but their effect on material transfer is unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of hyaluronan and methylcellulose (HAMC) hydrogels on donor photoreceptor material transfer in cell therapy for vision restoration.
- To determine if HAMC hydrogels influence cell-cell contact and subsequent material transfer.
- To explore the potential of HAMC hydrogels in modulating transplanted cell behavior.
Main Methods:
- In vitro assessment of mitochondria transfer between photoreceptors encapsulated in HAMC hydrogel versus saline control.
- In vivo evaluation of cytosolic protein transfer from transplanted photoreceptors to host retina in mice.
- Quantification of nanotube-like cell protrusions in hydrogel-treated versus control photoreceptors.
Main Results:
- HAMC hydrogel significantly reduced both in vitro mitochondria transfer and in vivo cytosolic protein transfer.
- Reduced material transfer was associated with significantly fewer nanotube-like cell protrusions in HAMC-treated photoreceptors.
- The observed reduction in transfer is attributed to decreased cell-cell contact mediated by the HAMC hydrogel.
Conclusions:
- Hyaluronan and methylcellulose hydrogels can limit material transfer between transplanted photoreceptors and host retinal cells.
- This limitation appears to be due to reduced cell-cell contact, specifically the formation of nanotube-like protrusions.
- HAMC hydrogels provide a mechanism to manipulate transplanted cell behavior, potentially optimizing cell therapy strategies for vision restoration.
