Stromal cell-mediated tuning of the extracellular matrix for immune tissue engineering

Advancing in vitro models of immune tissues is a major focus toward answering lingering questions about immunity and developing physiologically relevant drug testing platforms. The composition and structure of the extracellular matrix is an essential consideration in these models as these physical cues can modulate immune cell behavior and ability to mount an immune response. In immune tissues, stromal cells deposit and maintain the extracellular matrix, yet they are often overlooked in existing engineered models. Within, three major strategies for tuning the extracellular matrix in vitro for immune tissue engineering are explored: tunable hydrogel platforms, decellularized tissues, and in-situ deposition of matrix by stromal cells. Overall, the challenge of recapitulating in vivo microenvironments is vast, but the inclusion of stromal cells in the study of extracellular matrix-immune cell dynamics is a vital step forward.