1
|
Synthesis and characterization of site selective photo-crosslinkable glycidyl methacrylate functionalized gelatin-based 3D hydrogel scaffold for liver tissue engineering. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 123:111694. [PMID: 33812568 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The presented work outlined the development of a new biocompatible hydrogel material that has potential applications in soft tissue engineering. As a proof of concept, human hepatocytes were used to demonstrate the suitability of this material in providing conducive environment for cellular growth and functional development. Herein, a detailed synthesis of novel gelatin derivatives - photo-crosslinkable glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) functionalized gelatins (Gelatin-GMA), and preparation of three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel scaffolds for the encapsulated Huh-7.5 cells is reported. The Gelatin-GMA biopolymers were synthesized at two different pH values of 3.5 (acidic) and 10.5 (basic) where two different photo-crosslinkable polymers were formed utilizing -COOH & -OH groups in acidic pH, and -NH2 & -OH groups in basic pH. The hydrogels were prepared using an initiator (Irgacure I2959) in the presence of UV light. The Gelatin-GMA biopolymers were characterized using spectroscopic studies which confirmed the successful preparation of the polymer derivatives. Rheological measurement was carried out to characterize the mechanical properties and derive the mesh sizes of the 3D hydrogels. Subsequently, detailed in vitro hepatocyte compatibility and functionality studies were performed in the 3D cell seeded hydrogel platform. The 3D hydrogel design with larger mesh sizes utilizes the advantage of the excellent diffusion properties of porous platform, and enhanced cell-growth was observed, which in turn elicited favorable Huh-7.5 response. The hydrogels led to improved cellular functions such as differentiation, viability and proliferation. Overall, it showed that the Gelatin-GMA based hydrogels presented better results compared to control sample (GelMA) because of the higher mesh sizes in Gelatin-GMA based hydrogels. Additionally, the functional group studies of the two Gelatin-GMA samples revealed that the cell functionalities are almost unaffected even after the tripeptide - Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) in Gelatin-GMA synthesized at pH 3.5 is no longer completely available.
Collapse
|
2
|
Moysidou CM, Barberio C, Owens RM. Advances in Engineering Human Tissue Models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 8:620962. [PMID: 33585419 PMCID: PMC7877542 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.620962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in cell biology greatly relies on cell-based in vitro assays and models that facilitate the investigation and understanding of specific biological events and processes under different conditions. The quality of such experimental models and particularly the level at which they represent cell behavior in the native tissue, is of critical importance for our understanding of cell interactions within tissues and organs. Conventionally, in vitro models are based on experimental manipulation of mammalian cells, grown as monolayers on flat, two-dimensional (2D) substrates. Despite the amazing progress and discoveries achieved with flat biology models, our ability to translate biological insights has been limited, since the 2D environment does not reflect the physiological behavior of cells in real tissues. Advances in 3D cell biology and engineering have led to the development of a new generation of cell culture formats that can better recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment, allowing us to examine cells and their interactions in a more biomimetic context. Modern biomedical research has at its disposal novel technological approaches that promote development of more sophisticated and robust tissue engineering in vitro models, including scaffold- or hydrogel-based formats, organotypic cultures, and organs-on-chips. Even though such systems are necessarily simplified to capture a particular range of physiology, their ability to model specific processes of human biology is greatly valued for their potential to close the gap between conventional animal studies and human (patho-) physiology. Here, we review recent advances in 3D biomimetic cultures, focusing on the technological bricks available to develop more physiologically relevant in vitro models of human tissues. By highlighting applications and examples of several physiological and disease models, we identify the limitations and challenges which the field needs to address in order to more effectively incorporate synthetic biomimetic culture platforms into biomedical research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Róisín Meabh Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ferracci G, Zhu M, Ibrahim MS, Ma G, Fan TF, Lee BH, Cho NJ. Photocurable Albumin Methacryloyl Hydrogels as a Versatile Platform for Tissue Engineering. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:920-934. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b00984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Ferracci
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Mengxiang Zhu
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
- Wenzhou Institute of Biomaterials and Engineering, University of CAS, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325011, China
| | - Mohammed Shahrudin Ibrahim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Gamaliel Ma
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Teng Fei Fan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Bae Hoon Lee
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
- Wenzhou Institute of Biomaterials and Engineering, University of CAS, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325011, China
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zou S, Wang X, Fan S, Zhang J, Shao H, Zhang Y. Fabrication and characterization of regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin scaffolds for Schwann cell culturing. Eur Polym J 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2019.04.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
5
|
Park D, Lee J, Chung JJ, Jung Y, Kim SH. Integrating Organs-on-Chips: Multiplexing, Scaling, Vascularization, and Innervation. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 38:99-112. [PMID: 31345572 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Organs-on-chips (OoCs) have attracted significant attention because they can be designed to mimic in vivo environments. Beyond constructing a single OoC, recent efforts have tried to integrate multiple OoCs to broaden potential applications such as disease modeling and drug discoveries. However, various challenges remain for integrating OoCs towards in vivo-like operation, such as incorporating various connections for integrating multiple OoCs. We review multiplexed OoCs and challenges they face: scaling, vascularization, and innervation. In our opinion, future OoCs will be constructed to have increased predictive power for in vivo phenomena and will ultimately become a mainstream tool for high quality biomedical and pharmaceutical research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- DoYeun Park
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseo Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Justin J Chung
- Biomaterials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngmee Jung
- Biomaterials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; Biomaterials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wu L, Ferracci G, Wang Y, Fan TF, Cho NJ, Chow PKH. Porcine hepatocytes culture on biofunctionalized 3D inverted colloidal crystal scaffolds as an in vitro model for predicting drug hepatotoxicity. RSC Adv 2019; 9:17995-18007. [PMID: 35520590 PMCID: PMC9064660 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra03225h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
As drug-induced hepatotoxicity represents one of the most common causes of drug failure, three-dimensional (3D) in vitro liver platforms represent a fantastic toolbox to predict drug toxicity and thus reduce in vivo animal studies and lessen drug attrition rates. The aim of this study is to establish a functional porcine hepatocyte culture using a biofunctionalized 3D inverted colloidal crystal (ICC) hydrogel platform. The performances of non-adhesive bare poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) ICCs and PEGDA ICCs coated with either collagen type I or fibronectin have been investigated. Porcine hepatocytes viability, morphology, hepatic-specific functions and patterns of gene expression have been evaluated over a period of two weeks in culture to test diclofenac, a well-known hepatotoxic drug. Interestingly, cells in the fibronectin-functionalized scaffold exhibit different aggregation patterns and maintain better liver-specific function than those in bare ICCs and in collagen functionalized scaffold. We concluded that the 3D cell culture environment and the presence of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, especially fibronectin, facilitate hepatocyte viability and maintenance of the liver-specific phenotype in vitro, and enable us to predict hepatotoxicity. As drug-induced hepatotoxicity represents one of the most common causes of drug failure, three-dimensional in vitro liver platforms represent a fantastic toolbox to predict drug toxicity and reduce in vivo studies and drug attrition rates.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Wu
- Division of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore 11 Hospital Drive 169610 Singapore
| | - Gaia Ferracci
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School, NTU Institute for Health Technologies, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Drive 637553 Singapore.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798 Singapore .,Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Drive 637553 Singapore
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798 Singapore .,Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Drive 637553 Singapore
| | - Teng Fei Fan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798 Singapore .,Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Drive 637553 Singapore
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798 Singapore .,Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University 50 Nanyang Drive 637553 Singapore.,School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University 62 Nanyang Drive 637459 Singapore
| | - Pierce K H Chow
- Division of Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore 11 Hospital Drive 169610 Singapore .,Duke-NUS Medical School 8 College Road 169857 Singapore.,Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital Outram Road 169608 Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ng SS, Saeb-Parsy K, Blackford SJI, Segal JM, Serra MP, Horcas-Lopez M, No DY, Mastoridis S, Jassem W, Frank CW, Cho NJ, Nakauchi H, Glenn JS, Rashid ST. Human iPS derived progenitors bioengineered into liver organoids using an inverted colloidal crystal poly (ethylene glycol) scaffold. Biomaterials 2018; 182:299-311. [PMID: 30149262 PMCID: PMC6131727 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Generation of human organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offers exciting possibilities for developmental biology, disease modelling and cell therapy. Significant advances towards those goals have been hampered by dependence on animal derived matrices (e.g. Matrigel), immortalized cell lines and resultant structures that are difficult to control or scale. To address these challenges, we aimed to develop a fully defined liver organoid platform using inverted colloid crystal (ICC) whose 3-dimensional mechanical properties could be engineered to recapitulate the extracellular niche sensed by hepatic progenitors during human development. iPSC derived hepatic progenitors (IH) formed organoids most optimally in ICC scaffolds constructed with 140 μm diameter pores coated with type I collagen in a two-step process mimicking liver bud formation. The resultant organoids were closer to adult tissue, compared to 2D and 3D controls, with respect to morphology, gene expression, protein secretion, drug metabolism and viral infection and could integrate, vascularise and function following implantation into livers of immune-deficient mice. Preliminary interrogation of the underpinning mechanisms highlighted the importance of TGFβ and hedgehog signalling pathways. The combination of functional relevance with tuneable mechanical properties leads us to propose this bioengineered platform to be ideally suited for a range of future mechanistic and clinical organoid related applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soon Seng Ng
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kourosh Saeb-Parsy
- Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge and the Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Samuel J I Blackford
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Joe M Segal
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Maria Paola Serra
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Marta Horcas-Lopez
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Da Yoon No
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sotiris Mastoridis
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Wayel Jassem
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK
| | - Curtis W Frank
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nam Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hiromitsu Nakauchi
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Glenn
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - S Tamir Rashid
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine & Institute for Liver Studies, King's College London, England, UK; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liaw CY, Ji S, Guvendiren M. Engineering 3D Hydrogels for Personalized In Vitro Human Tissue Models. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7. [PMID: 29345429 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201701165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in engineering hydrogels for 3D tissue and disease models. The major motivation is to better mimic the physiological microenvironment of the disease and human condition. 3D tissue models derived from patients' own cells can potentially revolutionize the way treatment and diagnostic alternatives are developed. This requires development of tissue mimetic hydrogels with user defined and tunable properties. In this review article, a recent summary of 3D hydrogel platforms for in vitro tissue and disease modeling is given. Hydrogel design considerations and available hydrogel systems are summarized, followed by the types of currently available hydrogel models, such as bulk hydrogels, porous scaffolds, fibrous scaffolds, hydrogel microspheres, hydrogel sandwich systems, microwells, and 3D bioprinted constructs. Although hydrogels are utilized for a wide range of tissue models, this article focuses on liver and cancer models. This article also provides a detailed section on current challenges and future perspectives of hydrogel-based tissue models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chya-Yan Liaw
- Instructive Biomaterials and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory; Otto H. York Chemical; Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering; Newark College of Engineering; New Jersey Institute of Technology; University Heights; 138 York Center Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Shen Ji
- Instructive Biomaterials and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory; Otto H. York Chemical; Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering; Newark College of Engineering; New Jersey Institute of Technology; University Heights; 138 York Center Newark NJ 07102 USA
| | - Murat Guvendiren
- Instructive Biomaterials and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory; Otto H. York Chemical; Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering; Newark College of Engineering; New Jersey Institute of Technology; University Heights; 138 York Center Newark NJ 07102 USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ng SS, Xiong A, Nguyen K, Masek M, No DY, Elazar M, Shteyer E, Winters MA, Voedisch A, Shaw K, Rashid ST, Frank CW, Cho NJ, Glenn JS. Long-term culture of human liver tissue with advanced hepatic functions. JCI Insight 2017; 2:90853. [PMID: 28570275 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.90853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
A major challenge for studying authentic liver cell function and cell replacement therapies is that primary human hepatocytes rapidly lose their advanced function in conventional, 2-dimensional culture platforms. Here, we describe the fabrication of 3-dimensional hexagonally arrayed lobular human liver tissues inspired by the liver's natural architecture. The engineered liver tissues exhibit key features of advanced differentiation, such as human-specific cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism and the ability to support efficient infection with patient-derived inoculums of hepatitis C virus. The tissues permit the assessment of antiviral agents and maintain their advanced functions for over 5 months in culture. This extended functionality enabled the prediction of a fatal human-specific hepatotoxicity caused by fialuridine (FIAU), which had escaped detection by preclinical models and short-term clinical studies. The results obtained with the engineered human liver tissue in this study provide proof-of-concept determination of human-specific drug metabolism, demonstrate the ability to support infection with human hepatitis virus derived from an infected patient and subsequent antiviral drug testing against said infection, and facilitate detection of human-specific drug hepatotoxicity associated with late-onset liver failure. Looking forward, the scalability and biocompatibility of the scaffold are also ideal for future cell replacement therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soon Seng Ng
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anming Xiong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Khanh Nguyen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Marilyn Masek
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Da Yoon No
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford California, USA
| | - Menashe Elazar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Eyal Shteyer
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mark A Winters
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Kate Shaw
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
| | - Sheikh Tamir Rashid
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Curtis W Frank
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford California, USA
| | - Nam Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jeffrey S Glenn
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
ECM proteins in a microporous scaffold influence hepatocyte morphology, function, and gene expression. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37427. [PMID: 27897167 PMCID: PMC5126637 DOI: 10.1038/srep37427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that a three-dimensional (3D) culture environment and the presence of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins facilitate hepatocyte viability and maintenance of the liver-specific phenotype in vitro. However, it is not clear whether specific ECM components such as collagen or fibronectin differentially regulate such processes, especially in 3D scaffolds. In this study, a series of ECM-functionalized inverted colloidal crystal (ICC) microporous scaffolds were fabricated and their influence on Huh-7.5 cell proliferation, morphology, hepatic-specific functions, and patterns of gene expression were compared. Both collagen and fibronectin promoted albumin production and liver-specific gene expression of Huh-7.5 cells, compared with the bare ICC scaffold. Interestingly, cells in the fibronectin-functionalized scaffold exhibited different aggregation patterns to those in the collagen-functionalized scaffold, a variation that could be related to the distinct mRNA expression levels of cell adhesion-related genes. Based on these results, we can conclude that different ECM proteins, such as fibronectin and collagen, indeed play distinct roles in the phenotypic regulation of cells cultured in a 3D environment.
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang Y, Lee JH, Shirahama H, Seo J, Glenn JS, Cho NJ. Extracellular Matrix Functionalization and Huh-7.5 Cell Coculture Promote the Hepatic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a 3D ICC Hydrogel Scaffold. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2016; 2:2255-2265. [PMID: 33465898 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we constructed a microporous hydrogel scaffold with hexagonally packed interconnected cavities and extracellular matrix (ECM)-functionalized interior surface, and systematically investigated the hepatic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAD-MSCs) under the influence of three key factors: three-dimensional (3D) geometry, ECM presence, and coculture with hepatocyte-derived cell line. Results confirmed that (i) hepatic differentiation of hAD-MSC is more efficient in a 3D microporous scaffold than in 2D monolayer culture; (ii) the presence of both ECM components (fibronectin and collagen-I) in the scaffold is superior to collagen-I only, highlighting the importance of fibronectin; and (iii) coculture with Huh-7.5 hepatocyte-derived cells promoted liver-specific functions of the hAD-MSC-derived hepatocytes. The optimized differentiation process only took 21 days to complete, a time length that is shorter or at least comparable to previous reports, and more importantly, yielded an albumin production more than 10-fold higher than conventional 2D culture. Our approach of optimizing hAD-MSC hepatic differentiation could provide a potential solution to the challenges such as hepatocyte transplantation or the establishment of human physiologically relevant liver models in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore
| | - Jae-Ho Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore
| | - Hitomi Shirahama
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore
| | - Jeongeun Seo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore
| | - Jeffrey S Glenn
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Alway Building, Room M211, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Fairchild Building, D300, 299 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore.,School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Avenue 637459, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang Y, Kim MH, Tabaei SR, Park JH, Na K, Chung S, Zhdanov VP, Cho NJ. Spheroid Formation of Hepatocarcinoma Cells in Microwells: Experiments and Monte Carlo Simulations. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161915. [PMID: 27571565 PMCID: PMC5003351 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation of spherical aggregates during the growth of cell population has long been observed under various conditions. We observed the formation of such aggregates during proliferation of Huh-7.5 cells, a human hepatocarcinoma cell line, in a microfabricated low-adhesion microwell system (SpheroFilm; formed of mass-producible silicone elastomer) on the length scales up to 500 μm. The cell proliferation was also tracked with immunofluorescence staining of F-actin and cell proliferation marker Ki-67. Meanwhile, our complementary 3D Monte Carlo simulations, taking cell diffusion and division, cell-cell and cell-scaffold adhesion, and gravity into account, illustrate the role of these factors in the formation of spheroids. Taken together, our experimental and simulation results provide an integrative view of the process of spheroid formation for Huh-7.5 cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Myung Hee Kim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Seyed R. Tabaei
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Jae Hyeok Park
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Kyuhwan Na
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seok Chung
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Vladimir P. Zhdanov
- Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shirahama H, Kumar SK, Jeon WY, Kim MH, Lee JH, Ng SS, Tabaei SR, Cho NJ. Fabrication of Inverted Colloidal Crystal Poly(ethylene glycol) Scaffold: A Three-dimensional Cell Culture Platform for Liver Tissue Engineering. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27684530 DOI: 10.3791/54331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to maintain hepatocyte function in vitro, for the purpose of testing xenobiotics' cytotoxicity, studying virus infection and developing drugs targeted at the liver, requires a platform in which cells receive proper biochemical and mechanical cues. Recent liver tissue engineering systems have employed three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds composed of synthetic or natural hydrogels, given their high water retention and their ability to provide the mechanical stimuli needed by the cells. There has been growing interest in the inverted colloidal crystal (ICC) scaffold, a recent development, which allows high spatial organization, homotypic and heterotypic cell interaction, as well as cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction. Herein, we describe a protocol to fabricate the ICC scaffold using poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and the particle leaching method. Briefly, a lattice is made from microsphere particles, after which a pre-polymer solution is added, properly polymerized, and the particles are then removed, or leached, using an organic solvent (e.g., tetrahydrofuran). The dissolution of the lattice results in a highly porous scaffold with controlled pore sizes and interconnectivities that allow media to reach cells more easily. This unique structure allows high surface area for the cells to adhere to as well as easy communication between pores, and the ability to coat the PEGDA ICC scaffold with proteins also shows a marked effect on cell performance. We analyze the morphology of the scaffold as well as the hepatocarcinoma cell (Huh-7.5) behavior in terms of viability and function to explore the effect of ICC structure and ECM coatings. Overall, this paper provides a detailed protocol of an emerging scaffold that has wide applications in tissue engineering, especially liver tissue engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hitomi Shirahama
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Supriya K Kumar
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Won-Yong Jeon
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Myung Hee Kim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Jae Ho Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Soon Seng Ng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Seyed R Tabaei
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University; School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University;
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kim MH, Kumar SK, Shirahama H, Seo J, Lee JH, Cho NJ. Phenotypic regulation of liver cells in a biofunctionalized three-dimensional hydrogel platform. Integr Biol (Camb) 2016; 8:156-66. [PMID: 26792030 DOI: 10.1039/c5ib00269a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Loss of function is a major challenge for hepatocytes that are cultured on two-dimensional (2D) cell culture platforms. Biofunctionalized three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds produced by microfabrication strategies can overcome these limitations by presenting vital environmental cues, strong mechanical properties, and three-dimensional geometry to enable high-fidelity liver tissue engineering. Herein, we report the detailed investigation of hepatocarcinoma (Huh 7.5) cellular behavior in a collagen-functionalized microsphere-templated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel scaffold which promotes 3D hepatic sheet morphology. Collagen conjugation led to improved liver-specific functions, including albumin production and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activity. Importantly, the gene expression of numerous cell-adhesion markers was enhanced along with stimulated innate hepatocyte fibronectin production. Taken together, the findings reveal a close connection between hepatic cell morphology and gene expression, offering evidence that surface-coated collagen in the 3D hydrogel platform triggers the upregulation of hepatocyte-specific transcription factors and the secretion of liver metabolic markers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myung Hee Kim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue 639798, Singapore.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|