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Choi C, Yun E, Song M, Kim J, Son JS, Cha C. Multiscale Control of Nanofiber-Composite Hydrogel for Complex 3D Cell Culture by Extracellular Matrix Composition and Nanofiber Alignment. Biomater Res 2024; 28:0032. [PMID: 38812742 PMCID: PMC11136538 DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to manipulate the complex behavior of cells in a 3-dimensional (3D) environment, it is important to provide the microenvironment that can accurately portray the complexity of highly anisotropic tissue structures. However, it is technically challenging to generate a complex microenvironment using conventional biomaterials that are mostly isotropic with limited bioactivity. In this study, the gelatin-hyaluronic acid hydrogel incorporated with aqueous-dispersible, short nanofibers capable of in situ alignment is developed to emulate the native heterogeneous extracellular matrix consisting of fibrous and non-fibrous components. The gelatin nanofibers containing magnetic nanoparticles, which could be aligned by external magnetic field, are dispersed and embedded in gelatin-hyaluronic acid hydrogel encapsulated with dermal fibroblasts. The aligned nanofibers via magnetic field could be safely integrated into the hydrogel, and the process could be repeated to generate larger 3D hydrogels with variable nanofiber alignments. The aligned nanofibers in the hydrogel can more effectively guide the anisotropic morphology (e.g., elongation) of dermal fibroblasts than random nanofibers, whereas myofibroblastic differentiation is more prominent in random nanofibers. At a given nanofiber configuration, the hydrogel composition having intermediate hyaluronic acid content induces myofibroblastic differentiation. These results indicate that modulating the degree of nanofiber alignment and the hyaluronic acid content of the hydrogel are crucial factors that critically influence the fibroblast phenotypes. The nanofiber-composite hydrogel capable of directional nanofiber alignment and tunable material composition can effectively induce a wide array of phenotypic plasticity in 3D cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cholong Choi
- Center for Multidimensional Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunhye Yun
- Center for Multidimensional Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Minju Song
- Center for Multidimensional Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyun Kim
- Center for Multidimensional Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sung Son
- Department of Chemical Engineering,
Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaenyung Cha
- Center for Multidimensional Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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Choi C, Yun E, Cha C. Emerging Technology of Nanofiber-Composite Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2300222. [PMID: 37530431 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels and nanofibers have been firmly established as go-to materials for various biomedical applications. They have been mostly utilized separately, rarely together, because of their distinctive attributes and shortcomings. However, the potential benefits of integrating nanofibers with hydrogels to synergistically combine their functionalities while attenuating their drawbacks are increasingly recognized. Compared to other nanocomposite materials, incorporating nanofibers into hydrogel has the distinct advantage of emulating the hierarchical structure of natural extracellular environment needed for cell and tissue culture. The most important technological aspect of developing "nanofiber-composite hydrogel" is generating nanofibers made of various polymers that are cross-linked and short enough to maintain stable dispersion in hydrated environment. In this review, recent research efforts to develop nanofiber-composite hydrogels are presented, with added emphasis on nanofiber processing techniques. Several notable examples of implementing nanofiber-composite hydrogels for biomedical applications are also introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cholong Choi
- Center for Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunhye Yun
- Center for Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaenyung Cha
- Center for Programmable Matter, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
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Chen CY, Tsai PH, Lin YH, Huang CY, Chung JHY, Chen GY. Controllable graphene oxide-based biocompatible hybrid interface as an anti-fibrotic coating for metallic implants. Mater Today Bio 2022; 15:100326. [PMID: 35761844 PMCID: PMC9233272 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In tissue engineering, foreign body reactions (FBRs) that may occur after the insertion of medical implants are a considerable challenge. Materials currently used in implants are mainly metals that are non-organic, and the lack of biocompatibility and absence of immune regulations may lead to fibrosis after long periods of implantation. Here, we introduce a highly biocompatible hybrid interface of graphene oxide (GO) and collagen type I (COL-I), where the topological nanostructure can effectively inhibit the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. The structure and roughness of this coating interface can be easily adjusted at the nanoscale level through changes in the GO concentration, thereby effectively inducing the polarization of macrophages to the M1 state without producing excessive amounts of pro-inflammatory factors. Compared to nanomaterials or the extracellular matrix as an anti-fibrotic interface, this hybrid bio-interface has superior mechanical strength, physical structures, and high inflammation. Evidenced by inorganic materials such as glass, titanium, and nitinol, GO-COL shows great potential for use in medical implants and cell-material interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-You Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan.,Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hsuan Tsai
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hui Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yu Huang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan.,Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan
| | - Johnson H Y Chung
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia
| | - Guan-Yu Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan.,Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300093, Taiwan
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