Macromolecular crowding for tailoring tissue-derived fibrillated matrices.

Unlabelled: Tissue-derived fibrillated matrices can be instrumental for the in vitro reconstitution of multiphasic extracellular microenvironments. However, despite of several advantages, the obtained scaffolds so far offer a rather narrow range of materials characteristics only. In this work, we demonstrate how macromolecular crowding (MMC) - the supplementation of matrix reconstitution media with synthetic or natural macromolecules in ways to create excluded volume effects (EVE) - can be employed for tailoring important structural and biophysical characteristics of kidney-derived fibrillated matrices.

Macroporous biohybrid cryogels for co-housing pancreatic islets with mesenchymal stromal cells.

Unlabelled: Intrahepatic transplantation of allogeneic pancreatic islets offers a promising therapy for type 1 diabetes. However, long-term insulin independency is often not achieved due to severe islet loss shortly after transplantation. To improve islet survival and function, extrahepatic biomaterial-assisted transplantation of pancreatic islets to alternative sites has been suggested.

Cell survival signaling in the bovine mammary gland during the transition from lactation to involution.

In dairy cows, mammary gland involution, and thus a decline in milk production, occurs following peak lactation. To examine the cell signaling pathways regulating involution of the mammary gland, signal transducer and activator of transcription factors (STAT5 and 3), suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS1-3 and CIS), insulin-like growth factors (IGF1 and 2), and protein kinase B (Akt) were examined. Mammary involution was induced by termination of milking, and alveolar tissue was collected from 52 nonpregnant, primiparous, mid-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows killed at 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 72, and 192h postmilking.

Extracellular matrix deposition of bone marrow stroma enhanced by macromolecular crowding.

Decellularized extracellular matrices (ECM) from in vitro cell cultures can serve as in vivo-like matrix scaffolds for modulating cell-ECM interactions. Macromolecular crowding (MMC), the supplementation of synthetic or naturally occurring molecules resulting in excluded volume effects (EVE), has been demonstrated to provide valuable options for recapitulating the physiological environment of cells during matrix secretion. Human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived ECM was produced upon supplementation of standard culture medium with three different macromolecules of various size (10-500 kDa).

Availability of extracellular matrix biopolymers and differentiation state of human mesenchymal stem cells determine tissue-like growth in vitro.

To explore the space-filling growth of adherent mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) into tissue-like structures in vitro, human bone marrow derived MSC were exposed to fibronectin-coated, millimeter-sized, triangular channels casted in poly(dimethyl siloxane) carriers. The results revealed that the three dimensional (3D) growth of MSC differs in dependence on differentiation status and availability of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins: Massive 3D structure formation was observed for MSC under pro-osteogenic stimulation but not for undifferentiated MSC nor for MSC under pro-adipogenic stimulation; boosting cellular matrix secretion and addition of soluble ECM proteins caused extensive 3D tissue formation of undifferentiated MSC. The reported findings may contribute to bridge the gap between in vitro and in vivo analyses and guide the application of MSC in tissue replacement approaches.