FITC-Dextran Release from Cell-Embedded Fibrin Hydrogels

Abstract

Fibrin hydrogel is a central biological material in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. As such, fibrin is typically combined with cells and biomolecules targeted to the regenerated tissue. Previous studies have analyzed the release of different molecules from fibrin hydrogels; however, the effect of embedded cells on the release profile has yet to be quantitatively explored. This study focused on the release of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD) 250 kDa from fibrin hydrogels, populated with different concentrations of fibroblast or endothelial cells, during a 48-h observation period. The addition of cells to fibrin gels decreased the overall release by a small percentage (by 7–15% for fibroblasts and 6–8% for endothelial cells) relative to acellular gels. The release profile was shown to be modulated by various cellular activities, including gel degradation and physical obstruction to diffusion. Cell-generated forces and matrix deformation (i.e., densification and fiber alignment) were not found to significantly influence the release profiles. This knowledge is expected to improve fibrin integration in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications by enabling predictions and ways to modulate the release profiles of various biomolecules.

Polydopamine Incorporation Enhances Cell Differentiation and Antibacterial Properties of 3D-Printed Guanosine-Borate Hydrogels for Functional Tissue Regeneration

“…Cell migration into and also within printed 3D scaffolds is critical for successful tissue regeneration of considerable size defects, as otherwise, the diffusion limits of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolites in the scaffold may obstruct scaffold integration [ 60 , 61 , 62 ]. Thus, we performed a series of in vitro tests.…”

Bioactive Endodontic Hydrogels: From Parameters to Personalized Medicine

“…Other studies, on different matrixes, also used the fine-tuning of gelatin hydrogels to control the degradation rate and, thus, the release [ 29 , 56 , 73 ]. However, in the case of fibrin hydrogels, cell colonization will lead to matrix contraction, and although the fibrin matrix might be degraded, the production of a new matrix by cells leads, according to Leddy et al and Lepsky et al, to a decrease in molecule release [ 57 , 61 , 76 ].…”

“…Controlled delivery with a vector, such as a nanoparticle for example, adds a great number of parameters, such as size, solubility, or shape, that complexify the understanding of the release even further and, therefore, the bioactivity of the loaded bioactive molecule. Although the physicochemical characteristics of biomolecules are often well documented in the literature, they need to be taken into consideration in the specific context of encapsulation in a hydrogel, as well as for the patient-specific morphology of the endodontic space to control the in situ and released bioactivities [ 57 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 86 ]. Encapsulating an active molecule in a hydrogel makes the hydrogel a de facto vector, and the release of an active molecule with a specific release profile causes them to become not only scaffolds but also galenic objects.…”

From the Matrix to the Nucleus and Back: Mechanobiology in the Light of Health, Pathologies, and Regeneration of Oral Periodontal Tissues

“…As above, (stem) cells can be directly incorporated into scaffold matrixes via bioprinting and transferred to the patient [297]. Besides, bioprinting offers the opportunity for tailored periodontal defect coverage in case of trauma or surgery.…”