Cell-Laden Gradient Microgel Suspensions for Spatial Control of Differentiation During Biofabrication.

Adv Healthc Mater

School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.

Published: December 2022

AI Article Synopsis

  • During tissue development, stem and progenitor cells create diverse and complex structures, and achieving this in the lab requires both cell and material guidance.
  • Recent findings show that using gradient microgel mixtures with different-sized particles can effectively steer stem cell differentiation toward either fat (adipogenic) or bone (osteogenic) pathways.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of early cell interactions with the microgel matrix, demonstrating that it’s possible to print high-density cell suspensions to create biomimetic tissue gradients.

Article Abstract

During tissue development, stem and progenitor cells form functional tissue with high cellular diversity and intricate micro- and macro-architecture. Current approaches have attempted to replicate this process with materials cues or through spontaneous cell self-organization. However, cell-directed and materials-directed organization are required simultaneously to achieve biomimetic structure and function. Here, it is shown how integrating live adipose derived stem cells with gradient microgel suspensions steers divergent differentiation outcomes. Microgel matrices composed of small particles are found to promote adipogenic differentiation, while larger particles fostered increased cell spreading and osteogenic differentiation. Tuning the matrix formulation demonstrates that early cell adhesion and spreading dictate differentiation outcome. Combining small and large microgels into gradients spatially directs proliferation and differentiation over time. After 21 days of culture, osteogenic conditions foster significant mineralization within the individual microgels, thereby providing cell-directed changes in composition and mechanics within the gradient porous scaffold. Freeform printing of high-density cell suspensions is performed across these gradients to demonstrate the potential for hierarchical tissue biofabrication. Interstitial porosity influences cell expansion from the print and microgel size guides spatial differentiation, thereby providing scope to fabricate tissue gradients at multiple scales through integrated and printed cell populations.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9780160PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202201122DOI Listing

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