Cytokine Production Is Differentially Modulated in Malignant and Non-malignant Tissues in ST2-Receptor Deficient Mice.

IL-33/ST2 axis has been shown to exert both pro- and anti- effects in wound healing and tumor development. To further understand the role of this cytokine complex, we characterized comparatively the inflammatory component of a malignant tissue and non-malignant tissue in mice lacking ST2 receptor (ST2-KO). KO mice and their wild-type (WT) counterparts were either implanted subcutaneously with polyether-polyurethane sponge discs to induce non-malignant fibrovascular tissue growth or inoculated with 4T1 cells to induce mammary tumor.

Upregulation of Foreign Body Response in Obese Mice.

Objective: Obesity is a highly prevalent multifactorial metabolic condition in which the need for functional bioengineered substitutes (e.g., scaffolds for tissue engineering) is likely to occur.

Kinetics of pancreatic tissue proliferation in a polymeric platform in mice.

Background/objectives: Pancreas regenerative capacity after injury is not always sufficient to comply with the body's requirement of digestive enzymes and hormones. We present an alternative system to induce pancreas parenchyma proliferation (exocrine and endocrine components), rather than regeneration or remodeling in normoglycemic mice.

Methods: Porous discs of polyether-polyurethane were surgically placed adjacent to the native pancreas and removed at days 15, 30 and 45 after implantation.

Induction of liver proliferation using a polymeric platform in mice.

Aims: Currently, animal models of liver regeneration are based on extensive lesions of the native organ and on cellular approaches using biomaterials to host growth factors and extracellular components to create artificial liver systems. We report a polymeric biological platform, minimally invasive, that induced sequential proliferation of liver parenchyma inside the scaffold in mice.

Main Methods: Porous discs of polyether-polyurethane were surgically placed under the left liver lobe and removed at days 4, 8, 12 and 25 after implantation.