1
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Cho DH, Aguayo S, Cartagena-Rivera AX. Atomic force microscopy-mediated mechanobiological profiling of complex human tissues. Biomaterials 2023; 303:122389. [PMID: 37988897 PMCID: PMC10842832 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Tissue mechanobiology is an emerging field with the overarching goal of understanding the interplay between biophysical and biochemical responses affecting development, physiology, and disease. Changes in mechanical properties including stiffness and viscosity have been shown to describe how cells and tissues respond to mechanical cues and modify critical biological functions. To quantitatively characterize the mechanical properties of tissues at physiologically relevant conditions, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a highly versatile biomechanical technology. In this review, we describe the fundamental principles of AFM, typical AFM modalities used for tissue mechanics, and commonly used elastic and viscoelastic contact mechanics models to characterize complex human tissues. Furthermore, we discuss the application of AFM-based mechanobiology to characterize the mechanical responses within complex human tissues to track their developmental, physiological/functional, and diseased states, including oral, hearing, and cancer-related tissues. Finally, we discuss the current outlook and challenges to further advance the field of tissue mechanobiology. Altogether, AFM-based tissue mechanobiology provides a mechanistic understanding of biological processes governing the unique functions of tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Cho
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sebastian Aguayo
- Dentistry School, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Schools of Engineering, Medicine, and Biological Sciences, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexander X Cartagena-Rivera
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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2
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Tischenko K, Brill-Karniely Y, Steinberg E, Segev-Yekutiel H, Benny O. Surface physical cues mediate the uptake of foreign particles by cancer cells. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:016113. [PMID: 36960390 PMCID: PMC10030191 DOI: 10.1063/5.0138245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer phenotypes are often associated with changes in the mechanical states of cells and their microenvironments. Numerous studies have established correlations between cancer cell malignancy and cell deformability at the single-cell level. The mechanical deformation of cells is required for the internalization of large colloidal particles. Compared to normal epithelial cells, cancer cells show higher capacities to distort their shapes during the engulfment of external particles, thus performing phagocytic-like processes more efficiently. This link between cell deformability and particle uptake suggests that the cell's adherence state may affect this particle uptake, as cells become stiffer when plated on a more rigid substrate and vice versa. Based on this, we hypothesized that cancer cells of the same origin, which are subjected to external mechanical cues through attachment to surfaces with varying rigidities, may express different capacities to uptake foreign particles. The effects of substrate rigidity on cancer cell uptake of inert particles (0.8 and 2.4 μm) were examined using surfaces with physiologically relevant rigidities (from 0.5 to 64 kPa). Our data demonstrate a wave-like ("meandering") dependence of cell uptake on the rigidity of the culture substrate explained by a superposition of opposing physical and biological effects. The uptake patterns were inversely correlated with the expression of phosphorylated paxillin, indicating that the initial passive particle absorbance is the primary limiting step toward complete uptake. Overall, our findings may provide a foundation for mechanical rationalization of particle uptake design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Tischenko
- Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001 Israel
| | - Yifat Brill-Karniely
- Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001 Israel
| | - Eliana Steinberg
- Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001 Israel
| | - Hadas Segev-Yekutiel
- The Core Research Facility, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001 Israel
| | - Ofra Benny
- Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001 Israel
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3
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Tomasch J, Maleiner B, Heher P, Rufin M, Andriotis OG, Thurner PJ, Redl H, Fuchs C, Teuschl-Woller AH. Changes in Elastic Moduli of Fibrin Hydrogels Within the Myogenic Range Alter Behavior of Murine C2C12 and Human C25 Myoblasts Differently. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:836520. [PMID: 35669058 PMCID: PMC9164127 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.836520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrin hydrogels have proven highly suitable scaffold materials for skeletal muscle tissue engineering in the past. Certain parameters of those types of scaffolds, however, greatly affect cellular mechanobiology and therefore the myogenic outcome. The aim of this study was to identify the influence of apparent elastic properties of fibrin scaffolds in 2D and 3D on myoblasts and evaluate if those effects differ between murine and human cells. Therefore, myoblasts were cultured on fibrin-coated multiwell plates (“2D”) or embedded in fibrin hydrogels (“3D”) with different elastic moduli. Firstly, we established an almost linear correlation between hydrogels’ fibrinogen concentrations and apparent elastic moduli in the range of 7.5 mg/ml to 30 mg/ml fibrinogen (corresponds to a range of 7.7–30.9 kPa). The effects of fibrin hydrogel elastic modulus on myoblast proliferation changed depending on culture type (2D vs 3D) with an inhibitory effect at higher fibrinogen concentrations in 3D gels and vice versa in 2D. The opposite effect was evident in differentiating myoblasts as shown by gene expression analysis of myogenesis marker genes and altered myotube morphology. Furthermore, culture in a 3D environment slowed down proliferation compared to 2D, with a significantly more pronounced effect on human myoblasts. Differentiation potential was also substantially impaired upon incorporation into 3D gels in human, but not in murine, myoblasts. With this study, we gained further insight in the influence of apparent elastic modulus and culture type on cellular behavior and myogenic outcome of skeletal muscle tissue engineering approaches. Furthermore, the results highlight the need to adapt parameters of 3D culture setups established for murine cells when applied to human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Tomasch
- Department Life Science Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Andreas H. Teuschl-Woller,
| | - Babette Maleiner
- Department Life Science Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Heher
- Ludwig Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Rufin
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Orestis G. Andriotis
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp J. Thurner
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heinz Redl
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, The Research Center in Cooperation with AUVA, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christiane Fuchs
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, MGH, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andreas H. Teuschl-Woller
- Department Life Science Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Vienna, Austria
- The Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Andreas H. Teuschl-Woller,
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4
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Nedelkovski V, Andriotis OG, Wieland K, Gasser C, Steiger-Thirsfeld A, Bernardi J, Lendl B, Pretterklieber ML, Thurner PJ. Microbeam bending of hydrated human cortical bone lamellae from the central region of the body of femur shows viscoelastic behaviour. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021; 125:104815. [PMID: 34678618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Bone is a biological tissue with unique mechanical properties, owing to a complex hierarchical structure ranging from the nanoscale up to the macroscale. To better understand bone mechanics, investigation of mechanical properties of all structural elements at every hierarchical level and how they interact is necessary. Testing of bone structures at the lower microscale, e.g. bone lamellae, has been least performed and remains a challenge. Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is an attractive technique for machining microscopic samples from bone material and performing mechanical testing at the microscale using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation setups. So far, reported studies at this length scale have been performed on bone samples of animal origin, mostly in a dehydrated state, except for one study. Here we present an AFM-based microbeam bending method for performing bending measurements in both dehydrated and rehydrated conditions at the microscale. Single lamella bone microbeams of four human donors, aged 65-94 yrs, were machined via FIB and tested both in air and fully submerged in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) to investigate the effect of (de)hydration and to a certain extent, of age, on bone mechanics. Bending moduli were found to reduce up to 5 times after 2 h of rehydration and no trend of change in bending moduli with respect to age could be observed. Mechanical behavior changed from almost purely elastic to viscoelastic upon rehydration and a trend of lower dissipated energy in samples from older donors could be observed in the rehydrated state. These results confirm directly the importance of water for the mechanical properties of bone tissue at the microscale. Moreover, the trend of lowered capability of energy dissipation in older donors may contribute to a decrease of fracture toughness and thus an increase in bone fragility with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedran Nedelkovski
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Orestis G Andriotis
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Wieland
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Gasser
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Johannes Bernardi
- University Service Center for Transmission Electron Microscopy, TU Wien, 1040, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Lendl
- Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael L Pretterklieber
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Anatomy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Division of Macroscopic and Clinical Anatomy, Medical University Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp J Thurner
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, 1060, Vienna, Austria.
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5
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Norman MDA, Ferreira SA, Jowett GM, Bozec L, Gentleman E. Measuring the elastic modulus of soft culture surfaces and three-dimensional hydrogels using atomic force microscopy. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:2418-2449. [PMID: 33854255 PMCID: PMC7615740 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00495-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Growing interest in exploring mechanically mediated biological phenomena has resulted in cell culture substrates and 3D matrices with variable stiffnesses becoming standard tools in biology labs. However, correlating stiffness with biological outcomes and comparing results between research groups is hampered by variability in the methods used to determine Young's (elastic) modulus, E, and by the inaccessibility of relevant mechanical engineering protocols to most biology labs. Here, we describe a protocol for measuring E of soft 2D surfaces and 3D hydrogels using atomic force microscopy (AFM) force spectroscopy. We provide instructions for preparing hydrogels with and without encapsulated live cells, and provide a method for mounting samples within the AFM. We also provide details on how to calibrate the instrument, and give step-by-step instructions for collecting force-displacement curves in both manual and automatic modes (stiffness mapping). We then provide details on how to apply either the Hertz or the Oliver-Pharr model to calculate E, and give additional instructions to aid the user in plotting data distributions and carrying out statistical analyses. We also provide instructions for inferring differential matrix remodeling activity in hydrogels containing encapsulated single cells or organoids. Our protocol is suitable for probing a range of synthetic and naturally derived polymeric hydrogels such as polyethylene glycol, polyacrylamide, hyaluronic acid, collagen, or Matrigel. Although sample preparation timings will vary, a user with introductory training to AFM will be able to use this protocol to characterize the mechanical properties of two to six soft surfaces or 3D hydrogels in a single day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. A. Norman
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Silvia A. Ferreira
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Geraldine M. Jowett
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Laurent Bozec
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Eileen Gentleman
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, London WC1H 0AH, UK
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6
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Normand AC, Charrier AM, Arnould O, Lereu AL. Influence of force volume indentation parameters and processing method in wood cell walls nanomechanical studies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5739. [PMID: 33707500 PMCID: PMC7970955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84994-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the established correlations between mechanical properties of a piece of wood at the macroscopic scale and those of the cell wall at the submicron scale, techniques based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) have become widespread. In particular Peak Force tapping, allowing the differentiation of various layers, has become the new standard for wood cell wall's nanomechanical characterization. However, its use requires fully elastic indentation, a good knowledge of stiffness of the probe and assumes a perfect tip shape of known radius (sphere) or angle (cone). Those strong hypotheses can result in large approximations in the extracted parameters for complex, nanostructured, and stiff and viscous materials such as wood. In this work, we propose a reliable and complementary alternative based on AFM force-volume indentation by refining the Oliver and Pharr nanoindentation processing and calibration procedure for AFM cantilever and tip. The introduced area-function calibration (AFC) method allows to considerably reduce these approximations and provides semi-quantitative measurements. No prior knowledge of the tip shape and cantilever stiffness are required and viscoplasticity is investigated through a qualitative index. Indentation parameters variations are shown to impact the resulting measurements, i.e., indentation modulus, viscoplasticity index, adhesion force and energy. AFC method, applied to map regions of tension wood, provides very stable mechanical parameters characteristic of each region, which makes this method of high interest for plant cell wall studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Aude L Lereu
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, Marseille, France.
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7
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Dobos A, Van Hoorick J, Steiger W, Gruber P, Markovic M, Andriotis OG, Rohatschek A, Dubruel P, Thurner PJ, Van Vlierberghe S, Baudis S, Ovsianikov A. Thiol-Gelatin-Norbornene Bioink for Laser-Based High-Definition Bioprinting. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1900752. [PMID: 31347290 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201900752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is a lithography-based 3D printing method allowing the fabrication of 3D structures with sub-micrometer resolution. This work focuses on the characterization of gelatin-norbornene (Gel-NB) bioinks which enables the embedding of cells via 2PP. The high reactivity of the thiol-ene system allows 2PP processing of cell-containing materials at remarkably high scanning speeds (1000 mm s-1 ) placing this technology in the domain of bioprinting. Atomic force microscopy results demonstrate that the indentation moduli of the produced hydrogel constructs can be adjusted in the 0.2-0.7 kPa range by controlling the 2PP processing parameters. Using this approach gradient 3D constructs are produced and the morphology of the embedded cells is observed in the course of 3 weeks. Furthermore, it is possible to tune the enzymatic degradation of the crosslinked bioink by varying the applied laser power. The 3D printed Gel-NB hydrogel constructs show exceptional biocompatibility, supported cell adhesion, and migration. Furthermore, cells maintain their proliferation capacity demonstrated by Ki-67 immunostaining. Moreover, the results demonstrate that direct embedding of cells provides uniform distribution and high cell loading independently of the pore size of the scaffold. The investigated photosensitive bioink enables high-definition bioprinting of well-defined constructs for long-term cell culture studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Dobos
- TU Wien3D Printing and Biofabrication GroupInstitute of Materials Science and Technology Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
| | - Jasper Van Hoorick
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials GroupCentre of Macromolecular ChemistryGhent University Krijgslaan 281, S4 9000 Ghent Belgium
- Brussels PhotonicsDepartment of Applied Physics and PhotonicsFlanders Make and Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2 1000 Brussels Belgium
| | - Wolfgang Steiger
- TU Wien3D Printing and Biofabrication GroupInstitute of Materials Science and Technology Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
| | - Peter Gruber
- TU Wien3D Printing and Biofabrication GroupInstitute of Materials Science and Technology Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
| | - Marica Markovic
- TU Wien3D Printing and Biofabrication GroupInstitute of Materials Science and Technology Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
| | - Orestis G. Andriotis
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
- TU Wien, Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Andreas Rohatschek
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
- TU Wien, Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Peter Dubruel
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials GroupCentre of Macromolecular ChemistryGhent University Krijgslaan 281, S4 9000 Ghent Belgium
| | - Philipp J. Thurner
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
- TU Wien, Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials GroupCentre of Macromolecular ChemistryGhent University Krijgslaan 281, S4 9000 Ghent Belgium
- Brussels PhotonicsDepartment of Applied Physics and PhotonicsFlanders Make and Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2 1000 Brussels Belgium
| | - Stefan Baudis
- TU WienInstitute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Aleksandr Ovsianikov
- TU Wien3D Printing and Biofabrication GroupInstitute of Materials Science and Technology Getreidemarkt 9 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration
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8
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Organotypic human skin culture models constructed with senescent fibroblasts show hallmarks of skin aging. NPJ Aging Mech Dis 2020; 6:4. [PMID: 32194977 PMCID: PMC7060247 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-020-0042-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin aging is driven by intrinsic and extrinsic factors impacting on skin functionality with progressive age. One factor of this multifaceted process is cellular senescence, as it has recently been identified to contribute to a declining tissue functionality in old age. In the skin, senescent cells have been found to markedly accumulate with age, and thus might impact directly on skin characteristics. Especially the switch from young, extracellular matrix-building fibroblasts to a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) could alter the microenvironment in the skin drastically and therefore promote skin aging. In order to study the influence of senescence in human skin, 3D organotypic cultures are a well-suited model system. However, only few “aged” skin- equivalent (SE) models are available, requiring complex and long-term experimental setups. Here, we adapted a previously published full-thickness SE model by seeding increasing ratios of stress-induced premature senescent versus normal fibroblasts into the collagen matrix, terming these SE “senoskin”. Immunohistochemistry stainings revealed a shift in the balance between proliferation (Ki67) and differentiation (Keratin 10 and Filaggrin) of keratinocytes within our senoskin equivalents, as well as partial impairment of skin barrier function and changed surface properties. Monitoring of cytokine levels of known SASP factors confirmedly showed an upregulation in 2D cultures of senescent cells and at the time of seeding into the skin equivalent. Surprisingly, we find a blunted response of cytokines in the senoskin equivalent over time during 3D differentiation.
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9
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Song J, Michas C, Chen CS, White AE, Grinstaff MW. From Simple to Architecturally Complex Hydrogel Scaffolds for Cell and Tissue Engineering Applications: Opportunities Presented by Two-Photon Polymerization. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1901217. [PMID: 31746140 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Direct laser writing via two-photon polymerization (2PP) is an emerging micro- and nanofabrication technique to prepare predetermined and architecturally precise hydrogel scaffolds with high resolution and spatial complexity. As such, these scaffolds are increasingly being evaluated for cell and tissue engineering applications. This article first discusses the basic principles and photoresists employed in 2PP fabrication of hydrogels, followed by an in-depth introduction of various mechanical and biological characterization techniques used to assess the fabricated structures. The design requirements for cell and tissue related applications are then described to guide the engineering, physicochemical, and biological efforts. Three case studies in bone, cancer, and cardiac tissues are presented that illustrate the need for structured materials in the next generation of clinical applications. This paper concludes by summarizing the progress to date, identifying additional opportunities for 2PP hydrogel scaffolds, and discussing future directions for 2PP research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxi Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Christos Michas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
| | | | - Alice E. White
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Mark W. Grinstaff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Chemistry Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
- Department of Medicine Boston University Boston MA 02215 USA
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10
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Lunzer M, Shi L, Andriotis OG, Gruber P, Markovic M, Thurner PJ, Ossipov D, Liska R, Ovsianikov A. A Modular Approach to Sensitized Two-Photon Patterning of Photodegradable Hydrogels. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018; 57:15122-15127. [PMID: 30191643 PMCID: PMC6391948 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201808908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Photodegradable hydrogels have emerged as useful platforms for research on cell function, tissue engineering, and cell delivery as their physical and chemical properties can be dynamically controlled by the use of light. The photo-induced degradation of such hydrogel systems is commonly based on the integration of photolabile o-nitrobenzyl derivatives to the hydrogel backbone, because such linkers can be cleaved by means of one- and two-photon absorption. Herein we describe a cytocompatible click-based hydrogel containing o-nitrobenzyl ester linkages between a hyaluronic acid backbone, which is photodegradable in the presence of cells. It is demonstrated for the first time that by using a cyclic benzylidene ketone-based small molecule as photosensitizer the efficiency of the two-photon degradation process can be improved significantly. Biocompatibility of both the improved two-photon micropatterning process as well as the hydrogel itself is confirmed by cell culture studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Lunzer
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3081060ViennaAustria
- Institute of Applied Synthetic ChemistryTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/163-MC1060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Liyang Shi
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala UniversityLägerhyddsvägen 1751 21UppsalaSweden
| | - Orestis G. Andriotis
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural BiomechanicsTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3171060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Peter Gruber
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3081060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Marica Markovic
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3081060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Philipp J. Thurner
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural BiomechanicsTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3171060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Dmitri Ossipov
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala UniversityLägerhyddsvägen 1751 21UppsalaSweden
- Department of Biosciences and NutritionKarolinska InstitutetNovum, 141 83 HuddingeStockholmSweden
| | - Robert Liska
- Institute of Applied Synthetic ChemistryTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/163-MC1060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
| | - Aleksandr Ovsianikov
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU WienGetreidemarkt 9/3081060ViennaAustria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue RegenerationAustria
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11
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Lunzer M, Shi L, Andriotis OG, Gruber P, Markovic M, Thurner PJ, Ossipov D, Liska R, Ovsianikov A. A Modular Approach to Sensitized Two‐Photon Patterning of Photodegradable Hydrogels. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201808908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Lunzer
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/308 1060 Vienna Austria
- Institute of Applied Synthetic ChemistryTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/163-MC 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Liyang Shi
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala University Lägerhyddsvägen 1 751 21 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Orestis G. Andriotis
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural BiomechanicsTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/317 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Peter Gruber
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/308 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Marica Markovic
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/308 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Philipp J. Thurner
- Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural BiomechanicsTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/317 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Dmitri Ossipov
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala University Lägerhyddsvägen 1 751 21 Uppsala Sweden
- Department of Biosciences and NutritionKarolinska Institutet Novum, 141 83 Huddinge Stockholm Sweden
| | - Robert Liska
- Institute of Applied Synthetic ChemistryTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/163-MC 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
| | - Aleksandr Ovsianikov
- Institute of Materials Science and TechnologyTU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/308 1060 Vienna Austria
- Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration Austria
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Jones MG, Andriotis OG, Roberts JJ, Lunn K, Tear VJ, Cao L, Ask K, Smart DE, Bonfanti A, Johnson P, Alzetani A, Conforti F, Doherty R, Lai CY, Johnson B, Bourdakos KN, Fletcher SV, Marshall BG, Jogai S, Brereton CJ, Chee SJ, Ottensmeier CH, Sime P, Gauldie J, Kolb M, Mahajan S, Fabre A, Bhaskar A, Jarolimek W, Richeldi L, O'Reilly KM, Monk PD, Thurner PJ, Davies DE. Nanoscale dysregulation of collagen structure-function disrupts mechano-homeostasis and mediates pulmonary fibrosis. eLife 2018; 7:36354. [PMID: 29966587 PMCID: PMC6029847 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix stiffening with downstream activation of mechanosensitive pathways is strongly implicated in progressive fibrosis; however, pathologic changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) that initiate mechano-homeostasis dysregulation are not defined in human disease. By integrated multiscale biomechanical and biological analyses of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung tissue, we identify that increased tissue stiffness is a function of dysregulated post-translational collagen cross-linking rather than any collagen concentration increase whilst at the nanometre-scale collagen fibrils are structurally and functionally abnormal with increased stiffness, reduced swelling ratio, and reduced diameter. In ex vivo and animal models of lung fibrosis, dual inhibition of lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL) 2 and LOXL3 was sufficient to normalise collagen fibrillogenesis, reduce tissue stiffness, and improve lung function in vivo. Thus, in human fibrosis, altered collagen architecture is a key determinant of abnormal ECM structure-function, and inhibition of pyridinoline cross-linking can maintain mechano-homeostasis to limit the self-sustaining effects of ECM on progressive fibrosis. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease of the lung, which scars the tissue and gradually destroys the organ, ultimately leading to death. It is still unclear what exactly causes this scarring, but it is thought that increasing amounts of proteins in the space surrounding the cells of the lungs, the extracellular matrix, could play a role. These proteins, including collagen, normally form a ‘scaffold’ to stabilize cells, but if they accumulate uncontrollably, they can render tissues rigid. It has been assumed that these changes are a consequence of the disease. However, recent evidence suggests that the increased stiffness itself could stimulate cells to produce even more extracellular matrix, driving the progression of the disease. A better understanding of what exactly causes the tissue to become gradually stiffer may identify new ways to block the progression of IPF. Now, Jones et al. compared measurements of the tissue stiffness and the collagen structure taken from samples of patients with IPF. The results showed that the collagen fibres were faulty and had an abnormal shape. This suggests that these problems, rather than an increased amount of collagen, alter the flexibility of the lung tissue. Jones et al. also found that a specific family of proteins, which helps to connect the collagen fibres, was increased in the tissue of patients with IPF. When these proteins were blocked with a newly developed drug, the collagen structure returned to normal and the stiffness of the tissue decreased. As a consequence, the lung capacity improved. This suggests that treatment approaches that help to maintain a normal collagen structure, may in future prevent the stiffening of the lung tissue and so limit feed-forward mechanisms that drive progressive IPF. Moreover, it indicates that measurements of the structure of collagen rather than the its total concentration could serve as a more suitable indicator for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Jones
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Orestis G Andriotis
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Getreidemarkt, Austria
| | | | - Kerry Lunn
- Synairgen Research Ltd, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lucy Cao
- Pharmaxis Ltd, Frenchs Forest, Australia
| | - Kjetil Ask
- Department of Medicine, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, McMaster University and The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - David E Smart
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Bonfanti
- Aeronautics, Astronautics and Computational Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aiman Alzetani
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Franco Conforti
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Regan Doherty
- Biomedical Imaging Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Chester Y Lai
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Johnson
- CRUK and NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Konstantinos N Bourdakos
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie V Fletcher
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ben G Marshall
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay Jogai
- University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Brereton
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Serena J Chee
- University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,CRUK and NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christian H Ottensmeier
- CRUK and NIHR Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia Sime
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, United States
| | - Jack Gauldie
- Department of Medicine, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, McMaster University and The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Martin Kolb
- Department of Medicine, Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, McMaster University and The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sumeet Mahajan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aurelie Fabre
- Department of Histopathology, St. Vincent's University Hospital & UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Atul Bhaskar
- Aeronautics, Astronautics and Computational Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Luca Richeldi
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Katherine Ma O'Reilly
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Philipp J Thurner
- Institute for Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien, Getreidemarkt, Austria
| | - Donna E Davies
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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