Magnetic levitational bioassembly of three-dimensional (3D) tissue constructs represents a rapidly emerging scaffold- and label-free approach and alternative conceptual advance in tissue engineering. The magnetic bioassembler has been designed, developed, and certified for life space research. To the best of our knowledge, 3D tissue constructs have been biofabricated for the first time in space under microgravity from tissue spheroids consisting of human chondrocytes. Bioassembly and sequential tissue spheroid fusion presented a good agreement with developed predictive mathematical models and computer simulations. Tissue constructs demonstrated good viability and advanced stages of tissue spheroid fusion process. Thus, our data strongly suggest that scaffold-free formative biofabrication using magnetic fields is a feasible alternative to traditional scaffold-based approaches, hinting a new perspective avenue of research that could significantly advance tissue engineering. Magnetic levitational bioassembly in space can also advance space life science and space regenerative medicine.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

+ cells decreased after co-culture with both stromal cells in 20% O 2 . This effect was revealed only for MMSC at 5% O 2 . After 72 hours in co-culture with MMSCs, mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood (CBMCs) maintained the same number of colony forming units (CFU) as compared with the initial CBMC suspension. The number of CFU was 30% higher at 5% O 2 than in 20% O 2 (p < 0.05). The CFU number in CBMCs after co-culture with fFBs decreased and a stimulatory effect of low oxygen was not observed. CBMCs that were adhered to MMSCs formed colonies of undifferentiated progenitors after 2 weeks of co-culture both at 20% and 5% O 2 . Colonies were not found on fFBs. The immunomodulatory potency and the hematopoiesis-supportive capacity of stromal cells can vary depending on their tissue origin and may be modified by the partial pressure of oxygen.

No abstract