Reconstructing Curves: A Bottom-Up Approach toward Adipose Tissue Regeneration with Recombinant Biomaterials

The potential of recombinant materials in the field of adipose tissue engineering (ATE) is investigated using a bottom-up tissue engineering (TE) approach. This study explores the synthesis of different photo-crosslinkable gelatin derivatives, including both natural and recombinant materials, with a particular emphasis on chain growth and step growth polymerization. Gelatin type B (Gel-B) and a recombinant collagen peptide (RCPhC1) are used as starting materials. The gel fraction and mass swelling properties of 2D hydrogel films are evaluated, revealing high gel fractions exceeding 94% and high mass swelling ratios >15. In vitro experiments with encapsulated adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) indicate viable cells (>85%) throughout the experiment with the RCPhC1-based hydrogels showing a higher number of stretched ASCs. Triglyceride assays show the enhanced differentiation potential of RCPhC1 materials. Moreover, the secretome analysis reveal the production of adipose tissue-specific proteins including adiponectin, adipsin, lipocalin-2/NGAL, and PAL-1. RCPhC1-based materials exhibit higher levels of adiponectin and adipsin production, indicating successful differentiation into the adipogenic lineage. Overall, this study highlights the potential of recombinant materials for ATE applications, providing insights into their physico-chemical properties, mechanical strength, and cellular interactions.