Analysis of oxygen transport in a diffusion-limited model of engineered heart tissue

Microfluidic intestinal organoid-on-a-chip uncovers therapeutic targets by recapitulating oxygen dynamics of intestinal IR injury

Increasing evidence demonstrates that mammals have different reactions to hypoxia with varied oxygen dynamic patterns. It takes ∼24 h for tri-gas incubator to achieve steady cell hypoxia, which fails to recapitulate ultrafast oxygen dynamics of intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury. Inspired from the structure of native intestinal villi, we engineered an intestinal organoid chip embedded with engineered artificial microvessels based on co-axial microfluidic technology by using pH-responsive ZIF-8/sodium alginate scaffold. The chip was featured on: (i) eight times the oxygen exchange efficiency compared with the conventional device, tri-gas incubator, (ii) implantation of intestinal organoid reproducing all types of intestinal epithelial cells, and (iii) bio-responsiveness to hypoxia and reoxygenation (HR) by presenting metabolism disorder, inflammatory reaction, and cell apoptosis. Strikingly, it was found for the first time that Olfactomedin 4 (Olfm4) was the most significantly down-regulated gene under a rapid HR condition by sequencing the RNA from the organoids. Mechanistically, OLFM4 played protective functions on HR-induced cell inflammation and tissue damage by inhibiting the NF-kappa B signaling activation, thus it could be used as a therapeutic target. Altogether, this study overcomes the issue of mismatched oxygen dynamics between in vitro and in vivo, and sets an example of next-generation multisystem-interactive organoid chip for finding precise therapeutic targets of IR injury.

Recent advances in soluble decellularized extracellular matrix for heart tissue engineering and organ modeling

Despite the advent of tissue engineering (TE) for the remodeling, restoring, and replacing damaged cardiovascular tissues, the progress is hindered by the optimal mechanical and chemical properties required to induce cardiac tissue-specific cellular behaviors including migration, adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of numerous structural and functional molecules and tissue-specific cells, therefore it plays an important role in stimulating cell proliferation and differentiation, guiding cell migration, and activating regulatory signaling pathways. With the improvement and modification of cell removal methods, decellularized ECM (dECM) preserves biochemical complexity, and bio-inductive properties of the native matrix and improves the process of generating functional tissue. In this review, we first provide an overview of the latest advancements in the utilization of dECM in in vitro model systems for disease and tissue modeling, as well as drug screening. Then, we explore the role of dECM-based biomaterials in cardiovascular regenerative medicine (RM), including both invasive and non-invasive methods. In the next step, we elucidate the engineering and material considerations in the preparation of dECM-based biomaterials, namely various decellularization techniques, dECM sources, modulation, characterizations, and fabrication approaches. Finally, we discuss the limitations and future directions in fabrication of dECM-based biomaterials for cardiovascular modeling, RM, and clinical translation.

Carrageenan-Based Crowding and Confinement Combination Approach to Increase Collagen Deposition for In Vitro Tissue Development

Connective tissue models grown from cell monolayers can be instrumental in a variety of biomedical fields such as drug screening, wound healing, and regenerative engineering. However, while connective tissues contain abundant fibrillar collagen, achieving a sufficient assembly and retention of fibrillar collagen in vitro is challenging. Unlike the dilute cell culture environment, the body's environment is characterized by a high density of soluble macromolecules (crowding) and macromolecular networks (confinement), which contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly in vivo. Consequently, macromolecular crowding (MMC) has been successfully used to enhance the processing of type I procollagen, leading to significant increases in fibrillar collagen assembly and accumulation during in vitro culture of a variety of cell types. In this study, we developed a combination approach using a carrageenan hydrogel, which released soluble macromolecules and served as a confinement barrier. We first evaluated the local carrageenan release and then confirmed the effectiveness of this combination approach on collagen accumulation by the human MG-63 bone cell line. Additionally, computational modeling of oxygen and glucose transport within the culture system showed no negative effects of the hydrogel and its releasates on cell viability.

Study on Microfluidic Chip Flow Rate Uniformity for Cell Activity Detection

During the cell viability detection process inside a microfluidic chip, the more uniform the distribution of medium flow rates, the higher the accuracy of detection results. In order to achieve this goal, a multichannel microfluidic chip with uniform distribution of medium flow rates has been successfully designed. The multichannel microfluidic chip is designed with cell injection channels, vascular network-shaped medium injection channels, buffer zones, and a culture chamber. The medium flow rates inside culture chambers of the multichannel microfluidic chip and the common single-channel microfluidic chip are compared by COMSOL Multiphysics software and particle velocimetry experiment. The simulation and experimental results show that the medium flow rate distribution inside the culture chamber of the multichannel microfluidic chip is more uniform and changes more smoothly. When the medium perfusion flow rate is 0.5 μL/min, the maximum flow rate difference inside the culture chamber of the single-channel microfluidic chip is more than 13 times that of the multichannel microfluidic chip. Therefore, the multichannel microfluidic chip can ensure a uniform supply of medium inside the culture chamber, which is beneficial to improve the accuracy of cell viability detection.

Current approaches for the recreation of cardiac ischaemic environment in vitro

Myocardial ischaemia is one of the leading dead causes worldwide. Although animal experiments have historically provided a wealth of information, animal models are time and money consuming, and they usually miss typical human patient's characteristics associated with ischemia prevalence, including aging and comorbidities. Generating reliable in vitro models that recapitulate the human cardiac microenvironment during an ischaemic event can boost the development of new drugs and therapeutic strategies, as well as our understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular events, helping the optimization of therapeutic approaches prior to animal and clinical testing. Although several culture systems have emerged for the recreation of cardiac physiology, mimicking the features of an ischaemic heart tissue in vitro is challenging and certain aspects of the disease process remain poorly addressed. Here, current in vitro cardiac culture systems used for modelling cardiac ischaemia, from self-aggregated organoids to scaffold-based constructs and heart-on-chip platforms are described. The advantages of these models to recreate ischaemic hallmarks such as oxygen gradients, pathological alterations of mechanical strength or fibrotic responses are highlighted. The new models represent a step forward to be considered, but unfortunately, we are far away from recapitulating all complexity of the clinical situations.

3D Bioprinting tissue analogs: Current development and translational implications

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a promising and rapidly evolving technology in the field of additive manufacturing. It enables the fabrication of living cellular constructs with complex architectures that are suitable for various biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, disease modeling, drug screening, and precision regenerative medicine. The ultimate goal of bioprinting is to produce stable, anatomically-shaped, human-scale functional organs or tissue substitutes that can be implanted. Although various bioprinting techniques have emerged to develop customized tissue-engineering substitutes over the past decade, several challenges remain in fabricating volumetric tissue constructs with complex shapes and sizes and translating the printed products into clinical practice. Thus, it is crucial to develop a successful strategy for translating research outputs into clinical practice to address the current organ and tissue crises and improve patients' quality of life. This review article discusses the challenges of the existing bioprinting processes in preparing clinically relevant tissue substitutes. It further reviews various strategies and technical feasibility to overcome the challenges that limit the fabrication of volumetric biological constructs and their translational implications. Additionally, the article highlights exciting technological advances in the 3D bioprinting of anatomically shaped tissue substitutes and suggests future research and development directions. This review aims to provide readers with insight into the state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting techniques as powerful tools in engineering functional tissues and organs.

Release Kinetics and In Vitro Characterization of Sodium Percarbonate and Calcium Peroxide to Oxygenate Bioprinted Tissue Models

Oxygen-generating materials have been used in several tissue engineering applications; however, their application as in situ oxygen supply within bioprinted constructs has not been deeply studied. In this study, two oxygen-generating materials, sodium percarbonate (SPO) and calcium peroxide (CPO), were studied for their oxygen release kinetics under a 0.1% O₂ condition. In addition, a novel cell-culture-insert setup was used to evaluate the effects of SPO and CPO on the viability of skeletal muscle cells under the same hypoxic condition. Results showed that SPO had a burst oxygen release, while CPO had a more stable oxygen release than SPO. Both SPO and CPO reduced cell viability when used alone. The addition of catalase in SPO and CPO increased the oxygen release rate, as well as improving the viability of skeletal muscle cells; however, CPO still showed cytotoxicity with catalase. Additionally, the utilization of 1 mg/mL SPO and 20 U catalase in a hydrogel for bioprinting significantly enhanced the cell viability under the hypoxic condition. Moreover, bioprinted muscle constructs could further differentiate into elongated myotubes when transferring back to the normoxic condition. This work provides an excellent in vitro model to test oxygen-generating materials and further discover their applications in bioprinting, where they represent promising avenues to overcome the challenge of oxygen shortage in bioprinted constructs before their complete vascularization.

3D Bio-printing For Skin Tissue Regeneration: Hopes and Hurdles

Abstract:

For many years, discovering the appropriate methods for the treatment of skin irritation has been challenging for specialists and researchers. Bio-printing can be extensively applied to address the demand for proper skin substitutes to improve skin damage. Nowadays, to make more effective bio-mimicking of natural skin, many research teams have developed cell-seeded bio-inks for bioprinting of skin substitutes. These loaded cells can be single or co-cultured in these structures. The present review gives a comprehensive overview of the methods, substantial parameters of skin bioprinting, examples of in vitro and in vivo studies, and current advances and challenges for skin tissue engineering.

A 3D Mathematical Model of Coupled Stem Cell-Nutrient Dynamics in Myocardial Regeneration Therapy

Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment for the regeneration of myocardial tissue injured by an ischemic event. Mathematical modeling of myocardial regeneration via stem cell therapy is a challenging task, since the mechanisms underlying the processes involved in the treatment are not yet fully understood. Many aspects must be accounted for, such as the spread of stem cells and nutrients, chemoattraction, cell proliferation, stages of cell maturation, differentiation, angiogenesis, stochastic effects, just to name a few. In this paper we propose a 3D mathematical model with a free boundary that aims to provide a qualitative description of some main aspects of the stem cell regenerative therapy in a simplified scenario. The paper mainly focuses on the description of the shrinking of the necrotic core during treatment. The stem cell and nutrients dynamics are described through coupled reaction-diffusion problems. Proliferation, chemoattraction, tissue regeneration and nutrient consumption are included in the model.

Bioprinting of Cartilage with Bioink Based on High-Concentration Collagen and Chondrocytes

The study was aimed at the applicability of a bioink based on 4% collagen and chondrocytes for de novo cartilage formation. Extrusion-based bioprinting was used for the biofabrication. The printing parameters were tuned to obtain stable material flow. In vivo data proved the ability of the tested bioink to form a cartilage within five to six weeks after the subcutaneous scaffold implantation. Certain areas of cartilage formation were detected as early as in one week. The resulting cartilage tissue had a distinctive structure with groups of isogenic cells as well as a high content of glycosaminoglycans and type II collagen.

Optimization of Oxygen Delivery Within Hydrogels

The field of tissue engineering has been continuously evolving since its inception over three decades ago with numerous new advancements in biomaterials and cell sources and widening applications to most tissues in the body. Despite the substantial promise and great opportunities for the advancement of current medical therapies and procedures, the field has yet to capture wide clinical translation due to some remaining challenges, including oxygen availability within constructs, both in vitro and in vivo. While this insufficiency of nutrients, specifically oxygen, is a limitation within the current frameworks of this field, the literature shows promise in new technological advances to efficiently provide adequate delivery of nutrients to cells. This review attempts to capture the most recent advances in the field of oxygen transport in hydrogel-based tissue engineering, including a comparison of current research as it pertains to the modeling, sensing, and optimization of oxygen within hydrogel constructs as well as new technological innovations to overcome traditional diffusion-based limitations. The application of these findings can further the advancement and development of better hydrogel-based tissue engineered constructs for future clinical translation and adoption.

Distribution Networks Achieve Uniform Perfusion through Geometric Self-Organization

A generic flow distribution network typically does not deliver its load at a uniform rate across a service area, instead oversupplying regions near the nutrient source while leaving downstream regions undersupplied. In this Letter we demonstrate how a local adaptive rule coupling tissue growth with nutrient density results in a flow network that self-organizes to deliver nutrients uniformly. This geometric adaptive rule can be generalized and imported to mechanics-based adaptive models to address the effects of spatial gradients in nutrients or growth factors in tissues.

Perfusion and endothelialization of engineered tissues with patterned vascular networks

As engineered tissues progress toward therapeutically relevant length scales and cell densities, it is critical to deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the tissue volume via perfusion through vascular networks. Furthermore, seeding of endothelial cells within these networks can recapitulate the barrier function and vascular physiology of native blood vessels. In this protocol, we describe how to fabricate and assemble customizable open-source tissue perfusion chambers and catheterize tissue constructs inside them. Human endothelial cells are seeded along the lumenal surfaces of the tissue constructs, which are subsequently connected to fluid pumping equipment. The protocol is agnostic with respect to biofabrication methodology as well as cell and material composition, and thus can enable a wide variety of experimental designs. It takes ~14 h over the course of 3 d to prepare perfusion chambers and begin a perfusion experiment. We envision that this protocol will facilitate the adoption and standardization of perfusion tissue culture methods across the fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

A Heart-Breast Cancer-on-a-Chip Platform for Disease Modeling and Monitoring of Cardiotoxicity Induced by Cancer Chemotherapy

Cardiotoxicity is one of the most serious side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Current approaches to monitoring of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity (CIC) as well as model systems that develop in vivo or in vitro CIC platforms fail to notice early signs of CIC. Moreover, breast cancer (BC) patients with preexisting cardiac dysfunctions may lead to different incident levels of CIC. Here, a model is presented for investigating CIC where not only induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiac tissues are interacted with BC tissues on a dual-organ platform, but electrochemical immuno-aptasensors can also monitor cell-secreted multiple biomarkers. Fibrotic stages of iPSC-derived cardiac tissues are promoted with a supplement of transforming growth factor-β 1 to assess the differential functionality in healthy and fibrotic cardiac tissues after treatment with doxorubicin (DOX). The production trend of biomarkers evaluated by using the immuno-aptasensors well-matches the outcomes from conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, demonstrating the accuracy of the authors' sensing platform with much higher sensitivity and lower detection limits for early monitoring of CIC and BC progression. Furthermore, the versatility of this platform is demonstrated by applying a nanoparticle-based DOX-delivery system. The proposed platform would potentially help allow early detection and prediction of CIC in individual patients in the future.

Cardiac Tissues From Stem Cells: New Routes to Maturation and Cardiac Regeneration

The ability of human pluripotent stem cells to form all cells of the body has provided many opportunities to study disease and produce cells that can be used for therapy in regenerative medicine. Even though beating cardiomyocytes were among the first cell types to be differentiated from human pluripotent stem cell, cardiac applications have advanced more slowly than those, for example, for the brain, eye, and pancreas. This is, in part, because simple 2-dimensional human pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocyte cultures appear to need crucial functional cues normally present in the 3-dimensional heart structure. Recent tissue engineering approaches combined with new insights into the dialogue between noncardiomyocytes and cardiomyocytes have addressed and provided solutions to issues such as cardiomyocyte immaturity and inability to recapitulate adult heart values for features like contraction force, electrophysiology, or metabolism. Three-dimensional bioengineered heart tissues are thus poised to contribute significantly to disease modeling, drug discovery, and safety pharmacology, as well as provide new modalities for heart repair. Here, we review the current status of 3-dimensional engineered heart tissues.

Brain organoid formation on decellularized porcine brain ECM hydrogels

Human brain tissue models such as cerebral organoids are essential tools for developmental and biomedical research. Current methods to generate cerebral organoids often utilize Matrigel as an external scaffold to provide structure and biologically relevant signals. Matrigel however is a nonspecific hydrogel of mouse tumor origin and does not represent the complexity of the brain protein environment. In this study, we investigated the application of a decellularized adult porcine brain extracellular matrix (B-ECM) which could be processed into a hydrogel (B-ECM hydrogel) to be used as a scaffold for human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived brain organoids. We decellularized pig brains with a novel detergent- and enzyme-based method and analyzed the biomaterial properties, including protein composition and content, DNA content, mechanical characteristics, surface structure, and antigen presence. Then, we compared the growth of human brain organoid models with the B-ECM hydrogel or Matrigel controls in vitro. We found that the native brain source material was successfully decellularized with little remaining DNA content, while Mass Spectrometry (MS) showed the loss of several brain-specific proteins, while mainly different collagen types remained in the B-ECM. Rheological results revealed stable hydrogel formation, starting from B-ECM hydrogel concentrations of 5 mg/mL. hESCs cultured in B-ECM hydrogels showed gene expression and differentiation outcomes similar to those grown in Matrigel. These results indicate that B-ECM hydrogels can be used as an alternative scaffold for human cerebral organoid formation, and may be further optimized for improved organoid growth by further improving protein retention other than collagen after decellularization.

Human cardiac organoids for the modelling of myocardial infarction and drug cardiotoxicity

Environmental factors are the largest contributors to cardiovascular disease. Here we show that cardiac organoids that incorporate an oxygen-diffusion gradient and that are stimulated with the neurotransmitter noradrenaline model the structure of the human heart after myocardial infarction (by mimicking the infarcted, border and remote zones), and recapitulate hallmarks of myocardial infarction (in particular, pathological metabolic shifts, fibrosis and calcium handling) at the transcriptomic, structural and functional levels. We also show that the organoids can model hypoxia-enhanced doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. Human organoids that model diseases with non-genetic pathological factors could help with drug screening and development.

Opportunities and challenges of translational 3D bioprinting

3D-printed orthopaedic devices and surgical tools, printed maxillofacial implants and other printed acellular devices have been used in patients. By contrast, bioprinted living cellular constructs face considerable translational challenges. In this Perspective, we first summarize the most recent developments in 3D bioprinting for clinical applications, with a focus on how 3D-printed cartilage, bone and skin can be designed for individual patients and fabricated using the patient's own cells. We then discuss key translational considerations, such as the need to ensure close integration of the living device with the patient's vascular network, the development of biocompatible bioinks and the challenges in deriving a physiologically relevant number of cells. Lastly, we outline untested regulatory pathways, as well as logistical challenges in material sourcing, manufacturing, standardization and transportation.

Oxygen Consumption Characteristics in 3D Constructs Depend on Cell Density

Oxygen is not only crucial for cell survival but also a determinant for cell fate and function. However, the supply of oxygen and other nutrients as well as the removal of toxic waste products often limit cell viability in 3-dimensional (3D) engineered tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the oxygen consumption characteristics of 3D constructs as a function of their cell density. The oxygen concentration was measured at the base of hepatocyte laden constructs and a tightly controlled experimental and analytical framework was used to reduce the system geometry to a single coordinate and enable the precise identification of initial and boundary conditions. Then dynamic process modeling was used to fit the measured oxygen vs. time profiles to a reaction and diffusion model. We show that oxygen consumption rates are well-described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics. However, the reaction parameters are not literature constants but depend on the cell density. Moreover, the average cellular oxygen consumption rate (or OCR) also varies with density. We discuss why the OCR of cells is often misinterpreted and erroneously reported, particularly in the case of 3D tissues and scaffolds.

3D Printing of Personalized Thick and Perfusable Cardiac Patches and Hearts

Generation of thick vascularized tissues that fully match the patient still remains an unmet challenge in cardiac tissue engineering. Here, a simple approach to 3D-print thick, vascularized, and perfusable cardiac patches that completely match the immunological, cellular, biochemical, and anatomical properties of the patient is reported. To this end, a biopsy of an omental tissue is taken from patients. While the cells are reprogrammed to become pluripotent stem cells, and differentiated to cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells, the extracellular matrix is processed into a personalized hydrogel. Following, the two cell types are separately combined with hydrogels to form bioinks for the parenchymal cardiac tissue and blood vessels. The ability to print functional vascularized patches according to the patient's anatomy is demonstrated. Blood vessel architecture is further improved by mathematical modeling of oxygen transfer. The structure and function of the patches are studied in vitro, and cardiac cell morphology is assessed after transplantation, revealing elongated cardiomyocytes with massive actinin striation. Finally, as a proof of concept, cellularized human hearts with a natural architecture are printed. These results demonstrate the potential of the approach for engineering personalized tissues and organs, or for drug screening in an appropriate anatomical structure and patient-specific biochemical microenvironment.

The Effects of Metabolic Substrate Availability on Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Spheroid Survival

IMPACT STATEMENT

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) spheroids have displayed remarkable potential for treating ischemic injury. However, low nutrient (i.e., glucose and oxygen) availability in ischemic environments results in limited tissue viability posttransplantation. To develop an understanding of the effects of nutrient availability on spheroid survival, we utilized both in vitro and computational models to examine the limiting factors in metabolic supply for avascular microtissues, revealing the critical role of glucose to improve hADSC spheroid survival in ischemic conditions. These results may impact future strategies for improving hADSC transplantation efficacy through codelivery of metabolic substrates.

Current Challenges of Bioprinted Tissues Toward Clinical Translation

IMPACT STATEMENT

This review has a broad overview of the current challenges of bioprinted tissues towards clinical translations and future directions to overcome those challenges. The development of this field has a huge impact on the situation of an insufficient number of organ donors for life-saving organ transplantations.

Dynamics of Intrinsic Glucose Uptake Kinetics in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells During Chondrogenesis

Chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is an important biological process in many applications including cartilage tissue engineering. We investigated the glucose uptake characteristics of aggregates of hMSCs undergoing chondrogenesis over a 3-week period both experimentally and by using a mathematical model. Initial concentrations of glucose in the medium were varied from 1 to 4.5 g/L to mimic limiting conditions and glucose uptake profiles were obtained. A reaction-diffusion mathematical model was implemented and solved to estimate kinetic parameters. Experimental glucose uptake rates increased with culture time for aggregates treated with higher initial glucose concentrations (3 and 4.5 g/L), whereas they decreased or remained constant for those treated with lower initial glucose concentrations (1 and 2 g/L). Lactate production rate increased by as much as 40% for aggregates treated with higher initial glucose concentrations (2, 3 and 4.5 g/L), whereas it remained constant for those treated with 1 g/L initial glucose concentration. The estimated DNA-normalized maximum glucose uptake rate decreased by a factor of 9 from day 0-2 (12.5 mmol/s/g DNA) to day 6-8 (1.5 mmol/s/g DNA), after which it started to increase. On day 18-20, its value (17.5 mmol/s/g DNA) was about 11 times greater than its lowest value. Further, the extracellular matrix levels of aggregates at day 14 and day 21 correlated with their overall glucose uptake and lactate production. The results suggest that during chondrogenesis, for optimal results, cells require increasing amounts of glucose. Our results also suggest that diffusion limitations play an important role in glucose uptake even in the smaller size aggregate model of chondrogenesis. Further, the results indicate that glucose uptake or lactate production can be a tool for predicting the end quality of tissue during the process of chondrogenesis. The estimated kinetic parameters can be used to model glucose requirements in cartilage tissue engineering applications.

Identification of Key Factors in Deep O2 Cell Perfusion for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Blood vessel engineering requires an understanding of the parameters governing the survival of resident vascular smooth muscle cells. We have developed an in vitro, collagen-based 3D model of vascular media to examine the correlation of cell density, O2 requirements, and viability. Dense collagen sheets (100 μxm) seeded with porcine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) at low or high (11.6 or 23.2x106 cells/mL) densities were spiraled around a mandrel to create tubular constructs and cultured for up to 6 days in vitro, under both static and dynamic perfusion conditions. Real-time in situ monitoring showed that within 24 hours core O2 tension dropped from 140 mmHg to 20 mmHg and 80 mmHg for high and low cell density static cultures, respectively, with no significant cell death associated with the lowest O2 tension. A significant reduction in core O2 tension to 60 mmHg was achieved by increasing the O2 diffusion distance of low cell density constructs by 33% (p<0.05). After 6 days of static, high cell density culture, viability significantly decreased in the core (55%), with little effect at the surface (75%), whereas dynamic perfusion in a re-circulating bioreactor (1 ml/min) significantly improved core viability (70%, p<0.05), largely eliminating the problem. This study has identified key parameters dictating vascular smooth muscle cell behavior in 3D engineered tissue culture.

Measurement of oxygen tension within mesenchymal stem cell spheroids

Spheroids formed of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit increased cell survival and trophic factor secretion compared with dissociated MSCs, making them therapeutically advantageous for cell therapy. Presently, there is no consensus for the mechanism of action. Many hypothesize that spheroid formation potentiates cell function by generating a hypoxic core within spheroids of sufficiently large diameters. The purpose of this study was to experimentally determine whether a hypoxic core is generated in MSC spheroids by measuring oxygen tension in aggregates of increasing diameter and correlating oxygen tension values with cell function. MSC spheroids were formed with 15 000, 30 000 or 60 000 cells per spheroid, resulting in radii of 176 ± 8 µm, 251 ± 12 µm and 353 ± 18 µm, respectively. Oxygen tension values coupled with mathematical modelling revealed a gradient that varied less than 10% from the outer diameter within the largest spheroids. Despite the modest radial variance in oxygen tension, cellular metabolism from spheroids significantly decreased as the number of cells and resultant spheroid size increased. This may be due to adaptive reductions in matrix deposition and packing density with increases in spheroid diameter, enabling spheroids to avoid the formation of a hypoxic core. Overall, these data provide evidence that the enhanced function of MSC spheroids is not oxygen mediated.

Simulation of the effects of oxygen carriers and scaffold geometry on oxygen distribution and cell growth in a channeled scaffold for engineering myocardium

This study proposes a mathematical model to evaluate the impact of oxygen carriers and scaffold geometry on oxygen distribution and cell growth in a 3D cardiac construct using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Flow equations, oxygen balance equation and cell balance equation were solved using special initial and boundary conditions. The modeling results revealed that 55% increase in cardiac cell density occurred by using 6.4% perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier (PFC) compared to pure culture medium without PFC supplementation. Moreover, the effects of the scaffold geometry on cell density were examined by changing the channel numbers and the construct length. A 30% increase in the average cells density was observed by increasing the channel numbers from 37 to 145. Furthermore, the average cell density was increased 23% by decreasing the scaffold length from 0.5 to 0.2 cm length. Overall, the average cell density of cardiac cells can be increased 2-fold by using PFC oxygen carrier and optimizing the scaffold's geometry, simultaneously.

Cell number per spheroid and electrical conductivity of nanowires influence the function of silicon nanowired human cardiac spheroids

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) provide an unlimited cell source to treat cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide. However, current hiPSC-CMs retain an immature phenotype that leads to difficulties for integration with adult myocardium after transplantation. To address this, we recently utilized electrically conductive silicon nanowires (e-SiNWs) to facilitate self-assembly of hiPSC-CMs to form nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids. Our previous results showed addition of e-SiNWs effectively enhanced the functions of the cardiac spheroids and improved the cellular maturation of hiPSC-CMs. Here, we examined two important factors that can affect functions of the nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids: (1) cell number per spheroid (i.e., size of the spheroids), and (2) the electrical conductivity of the e-SiNWs. To examine the first factor, we prepared hiPSC cardiac spheroids with four different sizes by varying cell number per spheroid (∼0.5k, ∼1k, ∼3k, ∼7k cells/spheroid). Spheroids with ∼3k cells/spheroid was found to maximize the beneficial effects of the 3D spheroid microenvironment. This result was explained with a semi-quantitative theory that considers two competing factors: 1) the improved 3D cell-cell adhesion, and 2) the reduced oxygen supply to the center of spheroids with the increase of cell number. Also, the critical role of electrical conductivity of silicon nanowires has been confirmed in improving tissue function of hiPSC cardiac spheroids. These results lay down a solid foundation to develop suitable nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids as an innovative cell delivery system to treat cardiovascular diseases.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Due to the limited regenerative capacity of adult human hearts, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have received significant attention because they provide a patient specific cell source to regenerate damaged hearts. Despite the progress, current human hiPSC-CMs retain an immature phenotype that leads to difficulties for integration with adult myocardium after transplantation. To address this, we recently utilized electrically conductive silicon nanowires (e-SiNWs) to facilitate self-assembly of hiPSC-CMs to form nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids. Our previous results showed addition of e-SiNWs effectively enhanced the functions of the cardiac spheroids and improved the cellular maturation of hiPSC-CMs. In this manuscript, we examined the effects of two important factors on the functions of nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids: (1) cell number per spheroid (i.e., size of the spheroids), and (2) the electrical conductivity of the e-SiNWs. The results from these studies will allow for the development of suitable nanowired hiPSC cardiac spheroids to effectively deliver hiPSC-CMs for heart repair.

The Role of the Lysyl Oxidases in Tissue Repair and Remodeling: A Concise Review

Tissue injury provokes a series of events containing inflammation, new tissue formation and tissue remodeling which are regulated by the spatially and temporally coordinated organization. It is an evolutionarily conserved, multi-cellular, multi-molecular process via complex signalling network. Tissue injury disorders present grievous clinical problems and are likely to increase since they are generally associated with the prevailing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Although these dynamic responses vary not only for the different types of trauma but also for the different organs, a balancing act between the tissue degradation and tissue synthesis is the same. In this process, the degradation of old extracellular matrix (ECM) elements and new ones' synthesis and deposition play an essential role, especially collagens. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) and four lysyl oxidase-like proteins are a group of enzymes capable of catalyzing cross-linking reaction of collagen and elastin, thus initiating the formation of covalent cross-links that insolubilize ECM proteins. In this way, LOX facilitates ECM stabilization through ECM formation, development, maturation and remodeling. This ability determines its potential role in tissue repair and regeneration. In this review, based on the current in vitro, animal and human in vivo studies which have shown the significant role of the LOXs in tissue repair, e.g., tendon regeneration, ligament healing, cutaneous wound healing, and cartilage remodeling, we focused on the role of the LOXs in inflammation phase, proliferation phase, and tissue remodeling phase of the repair process. By summarizing its healing role, we hope to shed light on the understanding of its potential in tissue repair and provide up to date therapeutic strategies towards related injuries.

Modeling the fluid-dynamics and oxygen consumption in a porous scaffold stimulated by cyclic squeeze pressure

The architecture and dynamic physical environment of tissues can be recreated in-vitro by combining 3D porous scaffolds and bioreactors able to apply controlled mechanical stimuli on cells. In such systems, the entity of the stimuli and the distribution of nutrients within the engineered construct depend on the micro-structure of the scaffolds. In this work, we present a new approach for optimizing computational fluid-dynamics (CFD) models for the investigation of fluid-induced forces generated by cyclic squeeze pressure within a porous construct, coupled with oxygen consumption of cardiomyocytes. A 2D axial symmetric macro-scaled model of a squeeze pressure bioreactor chamber was used as starting point for generating time dependent pressure profiles. Subsequently the fluid movement generated by the pressure fields was coupled with a complete 3D micro-scaled model of a porous protein cryogel. Oxygen transport and consumption inside the scaffold was evaluated considering a homogeneous distribution of cardiomyocytes throughout the structure, as confirmed by preliminary cell culture experiments. The results show that a 3D description of the system, coupling a porous geometry and time dependent pressure driven flow with fluid-structure-interaction provides an accurate and meaningful description of the microenvironment in terms of shear stress and oxygen distribution than simple stationary 2D models.

A triphasic constrained mixture model of engineered tissue formation under in vitro dynamic mechanical conditioning

While it has become axiomatic that mechanical signals promote in vitro engineered tissue formation, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Moreover, efforts to date to determine parameters for optimal extracellular matrix (ECM) development have been largely empirical. In the present work, we propose a two-pronged approach involving novel theoretical developments coupled with key experimental data to develop better mechanistic understanding of growth and development of dense connective tissue under mechanical stimuli. To describe cellular proliferation and ECM synthesis that occur at rates of days to weeks, we employ mixture theory to model the construct constituents as a nutrient-cell-ECM triphasic system, their transport, and their biochemical reactions. Dynamic conditioning protocols with frequencies around 1 Hz are described with multi-scale methods to couple the dissimilar time scales. Enhancement of nutrient transport due to pore fluid advection is upscaled into the growth model, and the spatially dependent ECM distribution describes the evolving poroelastic characteristics of the scaffold-engineered tissue construct. Simulation results compared favorably to the existing experimental data, and most importantly, distinguish between static and dynamic conditioning regimes. The theoretical framework for mechanically conditioned tissue engineering (TE) permits not only the formulation of novel and better-informed mechanistic hypothesis describing the phenomena underlying TE growth and development, but also the exploration/optimization of conditioning protocols in a rational manner.

Relative Effects of Fluid Oscillations and Nutrient Transport in the In Vitro Growth of Valvular Tissues

Engineered valvular tissues are cultured dynamically, and involve specimen movement. We previously demonstrated that oscillatory shear stresses (OSS) under combined steady flow and specimen cyclic flexure (flex-flow) promote tissue formation. However, localized efficiency of specimen mass transport is also important in the context of cell viability within the growing tissues. Here, we investigated the delivery of two essential species for cell survival, glucose and oxygen, to 3-dimensional (3D) engineered valvular tissues. We applied a convective-diffusive model to characterize glucose and oxygen mass transport with and without valve-like specimen flexural movement. We found the mass transport effects for glucose and oxygen to be negligible for scaffold porosities typically present during in vitro experiments and non-essential unless the porosity was unusually low (<40%). For more typical scaffold porosities (75%) however, we found negligible variation in the specimen mass fraction of glucose and oxygen in both non-moving and moving constructs (p > 0.05). Based on this result, we conducted an experiment using bone marrow stem cell (BMSC)-seeded scaffolds under Pulsatile flow-alone states to permit OSS without any specimen movement. BMSC-seeded specimen collagen from the pulsatile flow and flex-flow environments were subsequently found to be comparable (p > 0.05) and exhibited some gene expression similarities. We conclude that a critical magnitude of fluid-induced, OSS created by either pulsatile flow or flex-flow conditions, particularly when the oscillations are physiologically-relevant, is the direct, principal stimulus that promotes engineered valvular tissues and its phenotype, whereas mass transport benefits derived from specimen movement are minimal.

Portable bioreactor for perfusion and electrical stimulation of engineered cardiac tissue

Cardiac tissue engineering aims to create functional tissue constructs that can reestablish the structure and function of injured myocardium. Although bioreactors have facilitated the engineering of cardiac patches of clinically relevant size in vitro, a major drawback remains the transportation of the engineered tissues from a production facility to a medical operation facility while maintaining tissue viability and preventing contamination. Furthermore, after implantation, most of the cells are endangered by hypoxic conditions that exist before vascular flow is established. We developed a portable device that provides the perfusion and electrical stimulation necessary to engineer cardiac tissue in vitro, and to transport it to the site where it will be implantated. The micropump-powered perfusion apparatus may additionally function as an extracorporeal active pumping system providing nutrients and oxygen supply to the graft post-implantation. Such a system, through perfusion of oxygenated media and bioactive molecules (e.g. growth factors), could transiently support the tissue construct until it connects to the host vasculature and heart muscle, after which it could be taken away or let biodegrade.

Direct measurement of local dissolved oxygen concentration spatial profiles in a cell culture environment

Controlling local dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) in media is critical for cell or tissue cultures. Various biomaterials and culture methods have been developed to modulate DO. Direct measurement of local DO in cultures has not been validated as a method to test DO modulation. In the present study we developed a DO measurement system equipped with a Clark-type oxygen microelectrode manipulated with 1 μm precision in three-dimensional space to explore potential applications for tissue engineering. By determining the microelectrode tip position precisely against the bottom plane of culture dishes with rat or human cardiac cells in static monolayer culture, we successfully obtained spatial distributions of DO in the medium. Theoretical quantitative predictions fit the obtained data well. Based on analyses of the variance between samples, we found the data reflected "local" oxygen consumption in the vicinity of the microelectrode and the detection of temporal changes in oxygen consumption rates of cultured cells was limited by the diffusion rate of oxygen in the medium. This oxygen measuring system monitors local oxygen consumption and production with high spatial resolution, and can potentially be used with recently developed oxygen modulating biomaterials to design microenvironments and non-invasively monitor local DO dynamics during culture.

Mathematical modelling of glycosaminoglycan production by stem cell aggregates incorporated with growth factor-releasing polymer microspheres

Systems composed of high density cells incorporated with growth factor-releasing polymer microspheres have recently been shown to promote chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage formation. Within these systems, the effects of spatial and temporal patterning of growth factor release on hyaline cartilage-specific extracellular matrix production have been examined. However, at present, it is unclear which microsphere densities and growth factor delivery profiles are optimal for inducing human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and glycosaminoglycan production. A mathematical model to describe glycosaminoglycan production as a function of initial microsphere loading and microsphere degradation rate over a period of 3 weeks is presented. Based on predictions generated by this model, it may be feasible to design a bioactive microsphere system with specific spatiotemporal growth factor presentation characteristics to promote glycosaminoglycan production at controllable rates. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The non-coding road towards cardiac regeneration

Our understanding of cardiovascular disease has evolved rapidly, leading to a number of treatments that have improved patient quality of life and mortality rates. However, there is still no cure for heart failure. This has led to the pursuit of cardiac regeneration to prevent, and ultimately cure, this debilitating condition. To this end, several approaches have been proposed, including activation of cardiomyocyte proliferation, activation of endogenous or exogenous stem/progenitor cells, delivery of de novo cardiomyocytes, and in situ direct reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts. While these different methodologies are currently being intensely investigated, there are still a number of caveats limiting their application in the clinic. Given the emerging regulatory potential of non-coding RNAs for controlling diverse cellular processes, these molecules may offer potential solutions in this pursuit of cardiac regeneration. In this concise review, we discuss the potential role of non-coding RNAs in a variety of different cardiac regenerative approaches.

Three-dimensional paper-based model for cardiac ischemia

In vitro models of ischemia have not historically recapitulated the cellular interactions and gradients of molecules that occur in a 3D tissue. This work demonstrates a paper-based 3D culture system that mimics some of the interactions that occur among populations of cells in the heart during ischemia. Multiple layers of paper containing cells, suspended in hydrogels, are stacked to form a layered 3D model of a tissue. Mass transport of oxygen and glucose into this 3D system can be modulated to induce an ischemic environment in the bottom layers of the stack. This ischemic stress induces cardiomyocytes at the bottom of the stack to secrete chemokines which subsequently trigger fibroblasts residing in adjacent layers to migrate toward the ischemic region. This work demonstrates the usefulness of patterned, stacked paper for performing in vitro mechanistic studies of cellular motility and viability within a model of the laminar ventricle tissue of the heart.

Reporter cell activity within hydrogel constructs quantified from oxygen-independent bioluminescence

By providing a three-dimensional (3D) support to cells, hydrogels offer a more relevant in vivo tissue-like environment as compared to two-dimensional cell cultures. Hydrogels can be applied as screening platforms to investigate in 3D the role of biochemical and biophysical cues on cell behaviour using bioluminescent reporter cells. Gradients in oxygen concentration that result from the interplay between molecular transport and cell metabolism can however cause substantial variability in the observed bioluminescent reporter cell activity. To assess the influence of these oxygen gradients on the emitted bioluminescence for various hydrogel geometries, a combined experimental and modelling approach was implemented. We show that the applied model is able to predict oxygen gradient independent bioluminescent intensities which correlate better to the experimentally determined viable cell numbers, as compared to the experimentally measured bioluminescent intensities. By analysis of the bioluminescence reaction dynamics we obtained a quantitative description of cellular oxygen metabolism within the hydrogel, which was validated by direct measurements of oxygen concentration within the hydrogel. Bioluminescence peak intensities can therefore be used as a quantitative measurement of reporter cell activity within a hydrogel, but an unambiguous interpretation of these intensities requires a compensation for the influence of cell-induced oxygen gradients on the luciferase activity.

Cyclic mechanical loading enables solute transport and oxygen supply in bone healing: an in vitro investigation

Bone healing is a complex process with an increased metabolic activity and consequently high demand for oxygen. In the hematoma phase, inflammatory cells and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are initially cut off from direct nutritional supply via blood vessels. Cyclic mechanical loading that occurs, for example, during walking is expected to have an impact on the biophysical environment of the cells but meaningful quantitative experimental data are still missing. In this study, the hypothesis that cyclic mechanical loading within a physiological range significantly contributes to oxygen transport into the fracture hematoma was investigated by an in vitro approach. MSCs were embedded in a fibrin matrix to mimic the hematoma phase during bone healing. Construct geometry, culture conditions, and parameters of mechanical loading in a bioreactor system were chosen to resemble the in vivo situation based on data from human studies and a well-characterized large animal model. Oxygen tension was measured before and after mechanical loading intervals by a chemical optical microsensor. The increase in oxygen tension at the center of the constructs was significant and depended on loading time with maximal values of 9.9%±5.1%, 14.8%±4.9%, and 25.3%±7.2% of normal atmospheric oxygen tension for 5, 15, and 30 min of cyclic loading respectively. Histological staining of hypoxic cells after 48 h of incubation confirmed sensor measurements by showing an increased number of normoxic cells with intermittent cyclic compression compared with unloaded controls. The present study demonstrates that moderate cyclic mechanical loading leads to an increased oxygen transport and thus to substantially enhanced supply conditions for cells entrapped in the hematoma. This link between mechanical conditions and nutrition supply in the early regenerative phases could be employed to improve the environmental conditions for cell metabolism and consequently prevent necrosis.

Optimal periodic perfusion strategy for robust long-term microfluidic cell culture

Long-term cell culture in microfluidic devices is an essential prerequisite for "on a chip" biological and physiological based studies. We investigated how medium delivery, from continuous to periodic perfusion, affects long-term cell cultures in a microfluidic platform. Computational simulations suggested that different delivery strategies result in different temporal profiles of accumulation and washing out of endogenous (EnF) and exogenous (ExF) factors, respectively. Thus, cultures exposed to the same overall amount of medium with different temporal profiles were analysed in terms of homogeneity, cell morphology and phenotype. Murine and human cell lines (C2C12 and HFF) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) were cultured in microfluidic channels. An ad hoc experimental setup was developed to perform continuous and periodic medium delivery into the chip, tuning the flow rate, the perfusion time, and the interval of perfusion while using the same amount of medium volume. Periodic medium delivery with a short perfusion pulse ensured cell homogeneity compared to standard cell culture. Conversely, a continuous flow resulted in cell heterogeneity, with abnormal morphology and vesiculation. Only dramatic and unfeasible increasing of perfused medium volume in the continuous configuration could rescue normal cell behaviour. Consistent results were obtained for C2C12 and HFF. In order to extend these results to highly sensitive cells, mESC were cultured for 6 days in the microfluidic channels. Our analysis demonstrates that a periodic medium delivery with fast pulses (with a frequency of 4 times per day) resulted in a homogeneous cell culture in terms of cell viability, colony morphology and maintenance of pluripotency markers. According to experimental observations, the computational model provided a rational description of the perfusion strategies and of how they deeply shape the cell microenvironment in microfluidic cell cultures. These results provide new insight to define optimal strategies for homogeneous and robust long-term cell culture in microfluidic systems, an essential prerequisite for lab on chip cell-based applications.

Microscale diffusion measurements and simulation of a scaffold with a permeable strut

Electrospun nanofibrous structures provide good performance to scaffolds in tissue engineering. We measured the local diffusion coefficients of 3-kDa FITC-dextran in line patterns of electrospun nanofibrous structures fabricated by the direct-write electrospinning (DWES) technique using the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method. No significant differences were detected between DWES line patterns fabricated with polymer supplied at flow rates of 0.1 and 0.5 mL/h. The oxygen diffusion coefficients of samples were estimated to be ~92%–94% of the oxygen diffusion coefficient in water based on the measured diffusion coefficient of 3-kDa FITC-dextran. We also simulated cell growth and distribution within spatially patterned scaffolds with struts consisting of either oxygen-permeable or non-permeable material. The permeable strut scaffolds exhibited enhanced cell growth. Saturated depths at which cells could grow to confluence were 15% deeper for the permeable strut scaffolds than for the non-permeable strut scaffold.

Organ-on-a-chip technology and microfluidic whole-body models for pharmacokinetic drug toxicity screening

Microscale cell culture platforms better mimic the in vivo cellular microenvironment than conventional, macroscale systems. Microscale cultures therefore elicit a more authentic response from cultured cells, enabling physiologically realistic in vitro tissue models to be constructed. The fabrication of interconnecting microchambers and microchannels allows drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination to be simulated, and enables precise manipulation of fluid flow to replicate blood circulation. Complex, multi-organ interactions can be investigated using "organ-on-a-chip" toxicology screens. By reproducing the dynamics of multi-organ interaction, the dynamics of various diseases and drug activities can be studied in mechanistic detail. In this review, we summarize the current status of technologies related to pharmacokinetic-based drug toxicity testing, and the use of microtechnology for reproducing the interaction between multiple organs.

Hypoxia-induced collagen crosslinking as a mechanism for enhancing mechanical properties of engineered articular cartilage

OBJECTIVE

The focus of tissue engineering of neocartilage has traditionally been on enhancing extracellular matrix and thus biomechanical properties. Emphasis has been placed on the enhancement of collagen type and quantity, and, concomitantly, tensile properties. The objective of this study was to improve crosslinking of the collagen network by testing the hypothesis that hypoxia could promote pyridinoline (PYR) crosslinks and, thus, improve neocartilage's tensile properties.

METHODS

Chondrocyte expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX), an enzyme responsible for the formation of collagen PYR crosslinks, was first assessed pre- and post- hypoxia application. Then, the mechanical properties of self-assembled neocartilage constructs were measured, after 4 weeks of culture, for groups exposed to 4% O2 at different initiation times and durations, i.e., during the 1st and 3rd weeks, 3rd and 4th weeks, 4th week only, continuously after cell seeding, or never.

RESULTS

Results showed that LOX gene expression was upregulated ∼20-fold in chondrocytes in response to hypoxia. Hypoxia applied during the 3rd and 4th weeks significantly increased PYR crosslinks without affecting collagen content. Excitingly, neocartilage tensile properties were increased ∼2-fold. It should be noted that these properties exhibited a distinct temporal dependence to hypoxia exposure, since upregulation of these properties was due to hypoxia applied only during the 3rd and 4th weeks.

CONCLUSION

These data elucidate the role of hypoxia-mediated upregulation of LOX and subsequent increases in PYR crosslinks in engineered cartilage. These results hold promise toward applying hypoxia at precise time points to promote tensile integrity and direct construct maturation.

Nonsteady state oxygen transport in engineered tissue: implications for design

Engineered tissue constructs are limited in size, and thus clinical relevance, when diffusion is the primary mode of oxygen transport. Understanding the extent of oxygen diffusion and cellular consumption is necessary for the design of engineered tissues, particularly those intended for implantation into hypoxic wound sites. This study presents a combined experimental and computation model to predict design constraints for cellularized fibrin tissues subjected to a step change in the oxygen concentration to simulate transplantation. Nonsteady state analysis of oxygen diffusion and consumption was used to estimate the diffusion coefficient of oxygen (mean±SD, 1.7×10(-9)±8.4×10(-11) m(2)/s) in fibrin hydrogels as well as the Michaelis-Menten parameters, Vmax (1.3×10(-17)±9.2×10(-19) mol·cell(-1)·s(-1)), and Km (8.0×10(-3)±3.5×0(-3) mol/m(3)), of normal human lung fibroblasts. Nondimensionalization of the governing diffusion-reaction equation enabled the creation of a single dimensionless parameter, the Thiele modulus (φ), which encompasses the combined effects of oxygen diffusion, consumption, and tissue dimensions. Tissue thickness is the design parameter with the most pronounced influence on the distribution of oxygen within the system. Additionally, tissues designed such that φ<1 achieve a near spatially uniform and adequate oxygen concentration following the step change. Understanding and optimizing the Thiele modulus will improve the design of engineered tissue implants.

A physiological pattern of oxygenation using perfluorocarbon-based culture devices maximizes pancreatic islet viability and enhances β-cell function

Conventional culture vessels are not designed for physiological oxygen (O2) delivery. Both hyperoxia and hypoxia-commonly observed when culturing cells in regular plasticware-have been linked to reduced cellular function and death. Pancreatic islets, used for the clinical treatment of diabetes, are especially sensitive to sub- and supraphysiological O2 concentrations. A result of current culture standards is that a high percentage of islet preparations are never transplanted because of cell death and loss of function in the 24-48 h postisolation. Here, we describe a new culture system designed to provide quasiphysiological oxygenation to islets in culture. The use of dishes where islets rest atop a perfluorocarbon (PFC)-based membrane, coupled with a careful adjustment of environmental O2 concentration to target the islet physiological pO2 range, resulted in dramatic gains in viability and function. These observations underline the importance of approximating culture conditions as closely as possible to those of the native microenvironment, and fill a widely acknowledged gap in our ability to preserve islet functionality in vitro. As stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells are likely to suffer from the same limitations as those observed in real islets, our findings are especially timely in the context of current efforts to define renewable sources for transplantation.