Podocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells are enabling studies of kidney development and disease. However, many of these studies are carried out in traditional tissue culture plates that do not accurately recapitulate the molecular and mechanical features necessary for modeling tissue- and organ-level functionalities. Overcoming these limitations requires the design and application of tunable biomaterial scaffolds. Silk fibroin is an attractive biomaterial due to its biocompatibility and versatility, which include its ability to form hydrogels, sponge-like scaffolds, and electrospun fibers and membranes appropriate for tissue engineering and biomedical applications. In this study, we show that hiPS cells can be differentiated into post-mitotic kidney glomerular podocytes on electrospun silk fibroin membranes functionalized with laminin. The resulting podocytes remain viable and express high levels of podocyte-specific markers consistent with the mature cellular phenotype. The resulting podocytes were propagated for at least two weeks, enabling secondary cell-based applications and analyses. This study demonstrates for the first time that electrospun silk fibroin membrane can serve as a supportive biocompatible platform for human podocyte differentiation and propagation. We anticipate that the results of this study will pave the way for the use of electrospun membranes and other biomimetic scaffolds for kidney tissue engineering, including the development of co-culture systems and organs-on-chips microphysiological devices.
Purpose Long-term oxygen therapy involves utilizing stationary oxygen concentrators to allow patients with respiratory illnesses to attain sufficient blood oxygenation via supplemental oxygen. Disadvantages of these devices include their lack of remote adjustability and domiciliary accessibility. To adjust oxygen flow, patients typically walk across their homes – a physically taxing activity – to manually rotate the knob of the concentrator flowmeter. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a control system device that allows patients to remotely adjust the oxygen flow rates on their stationary oxygen concentrator. Methods The engineering design process was used to develop the novel FLO2 device. The two-part system is composed of 1) a smartphone application and 2) an adjustable concentrator attachment unit that mechanically interfaces with the stationary oxygen concentrator flowmeter. Results Product testing indicates that users successfully communicated to the concentrator attachment from a maximum distance of 41m in an open field, suggesting usability from anywhere inside a standard home. The calibration algorithm adjusted oxygen flow rates with an accuracy of ±0.019 LPM and a precision of ±0.042 LPM. Conclusion Initial design testing suggests the device as a reliable and accurate method of wirelessly adjusting oxygen flow on a stationary oxygen concentrator, but further testing should be performed on different stationary oxygen concentrator models.
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