Regenerating airway epithelium using fibrous biomimetic basement membranes

Abstract

There are reciprocal interactions between epithelial cells and underlying basement membrane. The resemblance of biomaterials to native basement membrane is thus critical for their success when used to regenerate epithelium-containing organs. Particularly, the use of nanofibers and the incorporation of basement membrane proteins may mimic both biophysical and biochemical properties of basement membrane, respectively. Herein we tested how electrospun polycaprolactone/ heparin fibers with and without adsorbed laminin and collagen IV proteins affect epithelial cell functions. We found that airway epithelial cells attached, migrated, and proliferated on all scaffolds but protein-functionalized fibers promoted higher attachment, quicker migration, and increased proliferation. Fibers were then integrated on polyethylene scaffolds and cultured at an air-liquid interface. The detection of secretory and ciliated cell markers was higher in cells on polyethylene with fibers. These findings demonstrate that electrospun fibers incite beneficial epithelial cell responses and can be used in the fabrication of bioengineered functional epithelia.

Outmost Cationic Surface Charge of Layer-by-Layer Films Prevent Endothelial Cells Migration in Three-dimensional Tissues

“…21,22 Different strategies were developed to duplicate the structure and function of BMs from simple polymer membranes 23,24 to electrospun scaffolds. [25][26][27][28] The electrospun nanofiber meshes permitted bipolar cultivation of epithelial (endothelial) cells and mesenchymal cells, forming human primary alveolarcapillary barrier models 25,28 and skin models 29 . However, the in-situ preparation of A-BMs with nanometer-scale thickness on existing cell layers is challenging due to the utilization of specific apparatus, the complexity of the process, and the application of organic solvents.…”