Directional Submicrofiber Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds Supporting Neuron Differentiation and Enabling Neurite Alignment

Mungenast, Lena; Züger, Fabian; Selvi, Jasmin; Faia-Torres, Ana Bela; Rühe, Jürgen; Suter‐Dick, Laura; Gullo, Maurizio R.

doi:10.3390/ijms231911525

Cited by 8 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Scaffold stiffness is a central parameter in tissue engineering since it influences the differentiation and maturation of cells, e.g., cardiomyocytes differentiate and mature best when embedded in a matrix with E-modulus of around 11 kPa [ 25 ], while neuronal cells prefer scaffolds with 20 kPa [ 26 ]. The stiffness of the MCG bioink can be tuned by the concentration of TG.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Novel Cost-Effective and Versatile Bioink for 3D-Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering

2023

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3D-bioprinting for tissue regeneration relies on, among other things, hydrogels with favorable rheological properties. These include shear thinning for cell-friendly extrusion, post-printing structural stability as well as physiologically relevant elastic moduli needed for optimal cell attachment, proliferation, differentiation and tissue maturation. This work introduces a cost-efficient gelatin-methylcellulose based hydrogel whose rheological properties can be independently optimized for optimal printability and tissue engineering. Hydrogel viscosities were designed to present three different temperature regimes: low viscosity for eased cell suspension and printing with minimal shear stress, form fidelity directly after printing and long term structural stability during incubation. Enzymatically crosslinked hydrogel scaffolds with stiffnesses ranging from 5 to 50 kPa were produced, enabling the hydrogel to biomimic cell environments for different types of tissues. The bioink showed high intrinsic cytocompatibility and tissues fabricated by embedding and bioprinting NIH 3T3 fibroblasts showed satisfactory viability. This novel hydrogel uses robust and inexpensive technology, which can be adjusted for implementation in tissue regeneration, e.g., in myocardial or neural tissue engineering.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Novel Cost-Effective and Versatile Bioink for 3D-Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering

2023

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“…Hydrogels with a modulus of approximately 20 kPa demonstrated the most optimal performance in providing a conducive loading environment for cellular activities, further supporting nerve tissue regeneration. 94 Moreover, protein-based hydrogels have been successfully employed in nerve repair and regeneration efforts following ischemic stroke. For instance, fibrin glue subdural transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cells has shown promising results in improving focal ischemic injury, leading to the restoration of neurological and behavioral functions, and providing neuroprotective effects.…”

Section: Different Functions Of Injectable Hydrogels In Nerve Repair ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Promising Application of Injectable Hydrogels in Nerve Repair and Regeneration for Ischemic Stroke

Gao,

Zhang,

Zhang

et al. 2024

IJN

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Ischemic stroke, a condition that often leads to severe nerve damage, induces complex pathological and physiological changes in nerve tissue. The mature central nervous system (CNS) lacks intrinsic regenerative capacity, resulting in a poor prognosis and long-term neurological impairments. There is no available therapy that can fully restore CNS functionality. However, the utilization of injectable hydrogels has emerged as a promising strategy for nerve repair and regeneration. Injectable hydrogels possess exceptional properties, such as biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and the ability to provide a supportive environment for cell growth and tissue regeneration. Recently, various hydrogel-based tissue engineering approaches, including cell encapsulation, controlled release of therapeutic factors, and incorporation of bioactive molecules, have demonstrated great potential in the treatment of CNS injuries caused by ischemic stroke. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the application and development of injectable hydrogels for the treatment of ischemic stroke-induced CNS injuries, shedding light on their therapeutic prospects, challenges, recent advancements, and future directions. Additionally, it will discuss the underlying mechanisms involved in hydrogel-mediated nerve repair and regeneration, as well as the need for further preclinical and clinical studies to validate their efficacy and safety.

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“…The findings demonstrated that in the absence of further functionalization, the fiber layers enhanced directed cell proliferation and neurite extension [ 155 ]. Recently, enzymatically cross-linked gelatin hydrogels with stiffness varying from 8 to 80 kPa were coupled with a sparse monolayer of PCL electrospun fibers [ 151 ]. Using electrospinning as a method to introduce anisotropic characteristics to the hydrogels, PCL fibers were spun on top of the gel in either a random or aligned way without appreciably changing the stiffness of the hydrogel substrate ( Figure 8 ).…”

Section: Design Of Composite Fibers For Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using electrospinning as a method to introduce anisotropic characteristics to the hydrogels, PCL fibers were spun on top of the gel in either a random or aligned way without appreciably changing the stiffness of the hydrogel substrate ( Figure 8 ). On the fibrous hydrogel scaffolds, a human neural progenitor cell line attached, proliferated, and differentiated [ 151 ].…”

Section: Design Of Composite Fibers For Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Micro- and Nanostructured Fibrous Composites via Electro-Fluid Dynamics: Design and Applications for Brain

Renkler,

Scialla,

Russo

et al. 2024

Pharmaceutics

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The brain consists of an interconnected network of neurons tightly packed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) to form complex and heterogeneous composite tissue. According to recent biomimicry approaches that consider biological features as active components of biomaterials, designing a highly reproducible microenvironment for brain cells can represent a key tool for tissue repair and regeneration. Indeed, this is crucial to support cell growth, mitigate inflammation phenomena and provide adequate structural properties needed to support the damaged tissue, corroborating the activity of the vascular network and ultimately the functionality of neurons. In this context, electro-fluid dynamic techniques (EFDTs), i.e., electrospinning, electrospraying and related techniques, offer the opportunity to engineer a wide variety of composite substrates by integrating fibers, particles, and hydrogels at different scales—from several hundred microns down to tens of nanometers—for the generation of countless patterns of physical and biochemical cues suitable for influencing the in vitro response of coexistent brain cell populations mediated by the surrounding microenvironment. In this review, an overview of the different technological approaches—based on EFDTs—for engineering fibrous and/or particle-loaded composite substrates will be proposed. The second section of this review will primarily focus on describing current and future approaches to the use of composites for brain applications, ranging from therapeutic to diagnostic/theranostic use and from repair to regeneration, with the ultimate goal of providing insightful information to guide future research efforts toward the development of more efficient and reliable solutions.

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Directional Submicrofiber Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds Supporting Neuron Differentiation and Enabling Neurite Alignment

Cited by 8 publications

References 62 publications

Towards a Novel Cost-Effective and Versatile Bioink for 3D-Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering

Towards a Novel Cost-Effective and Versatile Bioink for 3D-Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering

A Promising Application of Injectable Hydrogels in Nerve Repair and Regeneration for Ischemic Stroke

Micro- and Nanostructured Fibrous Composites via Electro-Fluid Dynamics: Design and Applications for Brain

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