Biomaterials trigger endothelial cell activation when co-incubated with human whole blood.

Endothelial cell activation resulting from biomaterial contact or biomaterial-induced blood activation may in turn also affect hemostasis and inflammatory processes in the blood. Current in vitro hemocompatibility assays typically ignore these modulating effects of the endothelium. This study describes a co-incubation system of human whole blood, biomaterial and endothelial cells (ECs) that was developed to overcome this limitation.

Prolonged transendothelial migration of human haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) towards hydrogel-released SDF1.

The therapeutic success of haematopoetic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation is critically dependent on HSPC engraftment in the bone marrow. Gradients of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1) direct HSPC homing, both in vitro and in vivo. Potentially, regulating the delivery levels of exogenous SDF1 applied to the bone marrow could augment HSPC engraftment.

Thermo-responsive poly(NiPAAm-co-DEGMA) substrates for gentle harvest of human corneal endothelial cell sheets.

Gentle harvesting of corneal endothelial cell sheets grown in culture is of interest for the development of cornea replacement strategies. Thin films of a fast responding copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide (NiPAAm) and diethyleneglycol methacrylate (DEGMA) with a phase transition temperature of 32 degrees C were prepared and evaluated for that purpose. The polymer layers were immobilized onto fluorocarbon substrates using low pressure argon plasma treatment.