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Al Yazeedi S, Abokor AF, Brussow J, Thiam F, Phogat S, Osei ET. The effect of the mechanodynamic lung environment on fibroblast phenotype via the Flexcell. BMC Pulm Med 2024; 24:362. [PMID: 39068387 PMCID: PMC11282647 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-024-03167-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The lung is a highly mechanical organ as it is exposed to approximately 109 strain cycles, (where strain is the length change of tissue structure per unit initial length), with an approximately 4% amplitude change during quiet tidal breathing or 107 strain cycles at a 25% amplitude during heavy exercises, sighs, and deep inspirations. These mechanical indices have been reported to become aberrant in lung diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pulmonary hypertension, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and asthma. Through recent innovations, various in vitro systems/bioreactors used to mimic the lung's mechanical strain have been developed. Among these, the Flexcell tension system which is composed of bioreactors that utilize a variety of programs in vitro to apply static and cyclic strain on different cell-types established as 2D monolayer cultures or cell-embedded 3D hydrogel models, has enabled the assessment of the response of different cells such as fibroblasts to the lung's mechanical strain in health and disease. Fibroblasts are the main effector cells responsible for the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to repair and maintain tissue homeostasis and are implicated in the excessive deposition of matrix proteins that leads to lung fibrosis. In this review, we summarise, studies that have used the Flexcell tension bioreactor to assess effects of the mechanical lung on the structure, function, and phenotype of lung fibroblasts in homeostatic conditions and abnormal environments associated with lung injury and disease. We show that these studies have revealed that different strain conditions regulate fibroblast proliferation, ECM protein production, and inflammation in normal repair and the diseased lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Al Yazeedi
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - A F Abokor
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - J Brussow
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - F Thiam
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - S Phogat
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - E T Osei
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada.
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
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Folts L, Martinez AS, McKey J. Tissue clearing and imaging approaches for in toto analysis of the reproductive system†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:1041-1054. [PMID: 38159104 PMCID: PMC11180619 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
New microscopy techniques in combination with tissue clearing protocols and emerging analytical approaches have presented researchers with the tools to understand dynamic biological processes in a three-dimensional context. This paves the road for the exploration of new research questions in reproductive biology, for which previous techniques have provided only approximate resolution. These new methodologies now allow for contextualized analysis of far-larger volumes than was previously possible. Tissue optical clearing and three-dimensional imaging techniques posit the bridging of molecular mechanisms, macroscopic morphogenic development, and maintenance of reproductive function into one cohesive and comprehensive understanding of the biology of the reproductive system. In this review, we present a survey of the various tissue clearing techniques and imaging systems, as they have been applied to the developing and adult reproductive system. We provide an overview of tools available for analysis of experimental data, giving particular attention to the emergence of artificial intelligence-assisted methods and their applicability to image analysis. We conclude with an evaluation of how novel image analysis approaches that have been applied to other organ systems could be incorporated into future experimental evaluation of reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Folts
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
| | - Anthony S Martinez
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
| | - Jennifer McKey
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
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Brussow J, Feng K, Thiam F, Phogat S, Osei ET. Epithelial-fibroblast interactions in IPF: Lessons from in vitro co-culture studies. Differentiation 2023; 134:11-19. [PMID: 37738701 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial disease that is characterized by increased cellular proliferation and differentiation together with excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition leading to buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) and remodeling in the lungs. The activated and differentiated (myo)fibroblasts are one of the main sources of tissue remodeling in IPF and a crucial mechanism known to contribute to this feature is an aberrant crosstalk between pulmonary fibroblasts and the abnormal or injured pulmonary epithelium. This epithelial-fibroblast interaction mimics the temporal, spatial and cell-type specific crosstalk between the endoderm and mesoderm in the so-called epithelial-mesenchymal trophic unit (EMTU) during lung development that is proposed to be activated in healthy lung repair and dysregulated in various lung diseases including IPF. To study the dysregulated lung EMTU in IPF, various complex in vitro models have been established. Hence, in this review, we will provide a summary of studies that have used complex (3-dimensional) in vitro co-culture, and organoid models to assess how abnormal epithelial-fibroblast interactions in lung EMTU contribute to crucial features of the IPF including defective cellular differentiation, proliferation and migration as well as increased ECM deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Brussow
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - K Feng
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - F Thiam
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - S Phogat
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - E T Osei
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada; Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
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Phogat S, Thiam F, Al Yazeedi S, Abokor FA, Osei ET. 3D in vitro hydrogel models to study the human lung extracellular matrix and fibroblast function. Respir Res 2023; 24:242. [PMID: 37798767 PMCID: PMC10552248 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02548-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The pulmonary extracellular matrix (ECM) is a macromolecular structure that provides mechanical support, stability and elastic recoil for different pulmonary cells including the lung fibroblasts. The ECM plays an important role in lung development, remodeling, repair, and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Biomechanical and biochemical signals produced by the ECM regulate the phenotype and function of various cells including fibroblasts in the lungs. Fibroblasts are important lung structural cells responsible for the production and repair of different ECM proteins (e.g., collagen and fibronectin). During lung injury and in chronic lung diseases such as asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an abnormal feedback between fibroblasts and the altered ECM disrupts tissue homeostasis and leads to a vicious cycle of fibrotic changes resulting in tissue remodeling. In line with this, using 3D hydrogel culture models with embedded lung fibroblasts have enabled the assessment of the various mechanisms involved in driving defective (fibrotic) fibroblast function in the lung's 3D ECM environment. In this review, we provide a summary of various studies that used these 3D hydrogel models to assess the regulation of the ECM on lung fibroblast phenotype and function in altered lung ECM homeostasis in health and in chronic respiratory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Phogat
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Fama Thiam
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Safiya Al Yazeedi
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Filsan Ahmed Abokor
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Emmanuel Twumasi Osei
- Department of Biology, Okanagan Campus, University of British Columbia, 3187 University Way, ASC366, Kelowna, BC, V1V1V7, Canada.
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
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Mariano CA, Sattari S, Ramirez GO, Eskandari M. Effects of tissue degradation by collagenase and elastase on the biaxial mechanics of porcine airways. Respir Res 2023; 24:105. [PMID: 37031200 PMCID: PMC10082978 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-023-02376-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Common respiratory illnesses, such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are characterized by connective tissue damage and remodeling. Two major fibers govern the mechanics of airway tissue: elastin enables stretch and permits airway recoil, while collagen prevents overextension with stiffer properties. Collagenase and elastase degradation treatments are common avenues for contrasting the role of collagen and elastin in healthy and diseased states; while previous lung studies of collagen and elastin have analyzed parenchymal strips in animal and human specimens, none have focused on the airways to date. METHODS Specimens were extracted from the proximal and distal airways, namely the trachea, large bronchi, and small bronchi to facilitate evaluations of material heterogeneity, and subjected to biaxial planar loading in the circumferential and axial directions to assess airway anisotropy. Next, samples were subjected to collagenase and elastase enzymatic treatment and tensile tests were repeated. Airway tissue mechanical properties pre- and post-treatment were comprehensively characterized via measures of initial and ultimate moduli, strain transitions, maximum stress, hysteresis, energy loss, and viscoelasticity to gain insights regarding the specialized role of individual connective tissue fibers and network interactions. RESULTS Enzymatic treatment demonstrated an increase in airway tissue compliance throughout loading and resulted in at least a 50% decrease in maximum stress overall. Strain transition values led to significant anisotropic manifestation post-treatment, where circumferential tissues transitioned at higher strains compared to axial counterparts. Hysteresis values and energy loss decreased after enzymatic treatment, where hysteresis reduced by almost half of the untreated value. Anisotropic ratios exhibited axially led stiffness at low strains which transitioned to circumferentially led stiffness when subjected to higher strains. Viscoelastic stress relaxation was found to be greater in the circumferential direction for bronchial airway regions compared to axial counterparts. CONCLUSION Targeted fiber treatment resulted in mechanical alterations across the loading range and interactions between elastin and collagen connective tissue networks was observed. Providing novel mechanical characterization of elastase and collagenase treated airways aids our understanding of individual and interconnected fiber roles, ultimately helping to establish a foundation for constructing constitutive models to represent various states and progressions of pulmonary disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal A Mariano
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Samaneh Sattari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Gustavo O Ramirez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Mona Eskandari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- BREATHE Center, School of Medicine, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
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Al-Rekabi Z, Dondi C, Faruqui N, Siddiqui NS, Elowsson L, Rissler J, Kåredal M, Mudway I, Larsson-Callerfelt AK, Shaw M. Uncovering the cytotoxic effects of air pollution with multi-modal imaging of in vitro respiratory models. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221426. [PMID: 37063998 PMCID: PMC10090883 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Annually, an estimated seven million deaths are linked to exposure to airborne pollutants. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence supporting clear associations between poor air quality and a range of short- and long-term health effects, there are considerable gaps in our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which pollutant exposure induces adverse biological responses at the cellular and tissue levels. The development of more complex, predictive, in vitro respiratory models, including two- and three-dimensional cell cultures, spheroids, organoids and tissue cultures, along with more realistic aerosol exposure systems, offers new opportunities to investigate the cytotoxic effects of airborne particulates under controlled laboratory conditions. Parallel advances in high-resolution microscopy have resulted in a range of in vitro imaging tools capable of visualizing and analysing biological systems across unprecedented scales of length, time and complexity. This article considers state-of-the-art in vitro respiratory models and aerosol exposure systems and how they can be interrogated using high-resolution microscopy techniques to investigate cell-pollutant interactions, from the uptake and trafficking of particles to structural and functional modification of subcellular organelles and cells. These data can provide a mechanistic basis from which to advance our understanding of the health effects of airborne particulate pollution and develop improved mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Al-Rekabi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| | - Camilla Dondi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| | - Nilofar Faruqui
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| | - Nazia S. Siddiqui
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston upon Thames, UK
| | - Linda Elowsson
- Lung Biology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jenny Rissler
- Bioeconomy and Health, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Lund, Sweden
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Monica Kåredal
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ian Mudway
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, London, UK
- Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, London, UK
| | | | - Michael Shaw
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, UK
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Knudsen L, Hummel B, Wrede C, Zimmermann R, Perlman CE, Smith BJ. Acinar micromechanics in health and lung injury: what we have learned from quantitative morphology. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1142221. [PMID: 37025383 PMCID: PMC10070844 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1142221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the pulmonary acini ventilation and blood perfusion are brought together on a huge surface area separated by a very thin blood-gas barrier of tissue components to allow efficient gas exchange. During ventilation pulmonary acini are cyclically subjected to deformations which become manifest in changes of the dimensions of both alveolar and ductal airspaces as well as the interalveolar septa, composed of a dense capillary network and the delicate tissue layer forming the blood-gas barrier. These ventilation-related changes are referred to as micromechanics. In lung diseases, abnormalities in acinar micromechanics can be linked with injurious stresses and strains acting on the blood-gas barrier. The mechanisms by which interalveolar septa and the blood-gas barrier adapt to an increase in alveolar volume have been suggested to include unfolding, stretching, or changes in shape other than stretching and unfolding. Folding results in the formation of pleats in which alveolar epithelium is not exposed to air and parts of the blood-gas barrier are folded on each other. The opening of a collapsed alveolus (recruitment) can be considered as an extreme variant of septal wall unfolding. Alveolar recruitment can be detected with imaging techniques which achieve light microscopic resolution. Unfolding of pleats and stretching of the blood-gas barrier, however, require electron microscopic resolution to identify the basement membrane. While stretching results in an increase of the area of the basement membrane, unfolding of pleats and shape changes do not. Real time visualization of these processes, however, is currently not possible. In this review we provide an overview of septal wall micromechanics with focus on unfolding/folding as well as stretching. At the same time we provide a state-of-the-art design-based stereology methodology to quantify microarchitecture of alveoli and interalveolar septa based on different imaging techniques and design-based stereology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Knudsen
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Benjamin Hummel
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christoph Wrede
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Research Core Unit Electron Microscopy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Richard Zimmermann
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Carrie E Perlman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, United States
| | - Bradford J Smith
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering Design and Computing, University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
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McGowan SE. Discoidin domain receptor-2 enhances secondary alveolar septation in mice by activating integrins and modifying focal adhesions. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2023; 324:L307-L324. [PMID: 36719983 PMCID: PMC9988528 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00169.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the pulmonary parenchyma must maintain the structural relationships among resident cells during the constant distortion imposed by respiration. This dictates that both the ECM and cells adapt to changes in shape, while retaining their attachment. Membrane-associated integrins and discoidin domain receptors (DDR) bind collagen and transmit signals to the cellular cytoskeleton. Although the contributions of DDR2 to collagen deposition and remodeling during osseous development are evident, it is unclear how DDR2 contributes to lung development. Using mice (smallie, Slie/Slie, DDR2Δ) bearing a spontaneous inactivating deletion within the DDR2 coding region, we observed a decrease in gas-exchange surface area and enlargement of alveolar ducts. Compared with fibroblasts isolated from littermate controls, DDR2Δ fibroblasts, spread more slowly, developed fewer lamellipodia, and were less responsive to the rigidity of neighboring collagen fibers. Activated β1-integrin (CD29) was reduced in focal adhesions (FA) of DDR2Δ fibroblasts, less phospho-zyxin localized to and fewer FA developed over ventral actin stress fibers, and the adhesions had a lower aspect ratio compared with controls. However, DDR2 deletion did not reduce cellular displacement of the ECM. Our findings indicate that DDR2, in concert with collagen-binding β1-integrins, regulates the timing and location of focal adhesion formation and how lung fibroblasts respond to ECM rigidity. Reduced rigidity sensing and mechano-responsiveness may contribute to the distortion of alveolar ducts, where the fiber cable-network is enriched and tensile forces are concentrated. Strategies targeting DDR2 could help guide fibroblasts to locations where tensile forces organize parenchymal repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E McGowan
- Department of Veterans Affairs Research Service, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
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Hu M, Ling Z, Ren X. Extracellular matrix dynamics: tracking in biological systems and their implications. J Biol Eng 2022; 16:13. [PMID: 35637526 PMCID: PMC9153193 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-022-00292-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) constitutes the main acellular microenvironment of cells in almost all tissues and organs. The ECM not only provides mechanical support, but also mediates numerous biochemical interactions to guide cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Thus, better understanding the everchanging temporal and spatial shifts in ECM composition and structure - the ECM dynamics - will provide fundamental insight regarding extracellular regulation of tissue homeostasis and how tissue states transition from one to another during diverse pathophysiological processes. This review outlines the mechanisms mediating ECM-cell interactions and highlights how changes in the ECM modulate tissue development and disease progression, using the lung as the primary model organ. We then discuss existing methodologies for revealing ECM compositional dynamics, with a particular focus on tracking newly synthesized ECM proteins. Finally, we discuss the ramifications ECM dynamics have on tissue engineering and how to implement spatial and temporal specific extracellular microenvironments into bioengineered tissues. Overall, this review communicates the current capabilities for studying native ECM dynamics and delineates new research directions in discovering and implementing ECM dynamics to push the frontier forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Zihan Ling
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Xi Ren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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Modeling Extracellular Matrix-Cell Interactions in Lung Repair and Chronic Disease. Cells 2021; 10:cells10082145. [PMID: 34440917 PMCID: PMC8394761 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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The Role of miRNAs in Extracellular Matrix Repair and Chronic Fibrotic Lung Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071706. [PMID: 34359876 PMCID: PMC8304879 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The lung extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a key role in the normal architecture of the lung, from embryonic lung development to mechanical stability and elastic recoil of the breathing adult lung. The lung ECM can modulate the biophysical environment of cells through ECM stiffness, porosity, topography and insolubility. In a reciprocal interaction, lung ECM dynamics result from the synthesis, degradation and organization of ECM components by the surrounding structural and immune cells. Repeated lung injury and repair can trigger a vicious cycle of aberrant ECM protein deposition, accompanied by elevated ECM stiffness, which has a lasting effect on cell and tissue function. The processes governing the resolution of injury repair are regulated by several pathways; however, in chronic lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary disease (IPF) these processes are compromised, resulting in impaired cell function and ECM remodeling. Current estimates show that more than 60% of the human coding transcripts are regulated by miRNAs. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expressions and modulate cellular functions. This review is focused on the current knowledge of miRNAs in regulating ECM synthesis, degradation and topography by cells and their dysregulation in asthma, COPD and IPF.
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