Combining Cryogel Architecture and Macromolecular Crowding‐Enhanced Extracellular Matrix Cues to Mimic the Bone Marrow Niche

Abstract

Back Cover: In article number 2200348, Carsten Werner and co‐workers report on the development of a three‐dimensional bone marrow niche model that closely mimics the natural architecture of trabecular bone and the extracellular stromal compartment. The multiphasic scaffolds are based on polymeric cryogels and decellularized human extracellular matrix secreted in situ in the presence of macromolecular crowders.

Macromolecular crowding and decellularization method increase the growth factor binding potential of cell-secreted extracellular matrices

“…Numerous approaches to increase the sGAG-content in engineered or native ECMs have been pursued including physical or chemical crosslinking via UV light, temperature, pH, carbodiimide chemistry ( Neves et al, 2020 ), addition of serine-rich peptides for increased sGAG retention ( Miles et al, 2016 ), or modification of ECMs with proteoglycan-mimicking sulfate groups ( Gionet-Gonzales et al, 2021 ). Macromolecular crowding has been employed to better recapitulate the physiological environment and increase protein synthesis ( Martínez-Vidal et al, 2022 ). The addition of an MMC agent into cell culture medium enhances ECM deposition by creating volumes of reduced space, increased chemical potential, and resultant increases in effective concentration ( Graham et al, 2019 ; Badowski et al, 2020 ; Tsiapalis and Zeugolis, 2021 ).…”

Stiffness‐Switchable, Biocatalytic pH‐Responsive DNA‐Functionalized Polyacrylamide Cryogels and their Mechanical Applications

“…These features of cryogels lead to enhanced physical and chemical responses of the cryogels as compared to hydrogels. Indeed, the superior physiochemical properties of cryogels were employed for diverse applications including separation [65,71,72] and bioseparation processes, [73][74][75] functional matrices for encapsulation of cells, [76][77][78] and cell culturing, [76,[79][80][81] therapeutics such as drug-delivery [82,83] or injectable cryogel microspheres for bone regeneration, [84] and to whole cell-based cancer vaccination. [85] Also, by entrapment of enzymes in cryogels, enhanced reactivity and stability of the biocatalysts were demonstrated, [86][87][88] and the systems were applied as bioreactors for effective waste-water treatment.…”