Multifunctional Porous Microshuttles as Scaffolding Components and Carriers of Bioactive Factors in Self-Assembled...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Co-assembly of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking biomaterials is key for 3D microtissue generation.
• Porous microparticles serve as effective microcarriers due to their high surface area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop multifunctional, porous microparticles (microshuttles) for simultaneous scaffolding and drug/cell delivery in self-assembled microtissues.
• To create tunable, porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles using a novel method.

Main Methods:

• A one-step emulsification followed by chemical etching was used to create porous PLGA microparticles with controlled pore sizes.
• Human mesenchymal stromal cells (HMSCs) were co-seeded with microparticles in microwells for cell-guided assembly into hybrid microtissues.
• Microparticles were loaded with bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Main Results:

• Hybrid microtissues containing BMP-2 and nHA-loaded PLGA microparticles showed enhanced osteogenic gene and protein expression.
• Microtissues with HUVEC-loaded microparticles exhibited improved endothelial network formation.
• The PLGA microshuttles facilitated cell-guided assembly and integration within the microtissues.

Conclusions:

• Porous PLGA microshuttles show significant potential as versatile components for engineering osteogenic self-assembled microtissues.
• These microshuttles can act as both biomimetic scaffolds and effective delivery vehicles for regenerative medicine applications.