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Extracellular matrix (ECM) provides both physical support and bioactive signals such as growth factors and cytokines to cells at their microenvironment or niche. Engineering the matrix niche becomes an important approach to study or manipulate cellular fate. This work presents an overview on the reconstitution of the ECM niche through a wide range of approaches ranging from coating culture dish with ECM molecules to decellularization of native tissues.
Check out the published book chapter here: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.mcb.2020.01.001
This study reports an extracellular matrix-based in vitro model of mesenchymal condensation, an early stage in skeletogenesis, contributing to rationalizing development-inspired tissue engineering.
Check out the published paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.05.021
This study demonstrated that our multiphoton microprinting technology is able to precisely control the local density of the matrix niche factor, and more importantly, spatially control and decouple the mechanical and matrix niche factors. The results show that 1) the micropatterned matrix niche retains its bioactivities; 2) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are able to sense the elastic modulus of the cell niche when the mechanical and matrix niche factors are decoupled; and 3) MSCs prefer to bind to and spread on fibronectin among other matrix proteins.
Check out the published paper here: https://doi.org/10.1002/adbi.201800053
In this study, we demonstrated the development of a human OA osteochondral organ culture and tested the feasibility and potential of using this model as an in vitro evaluation tool for emerging cartilage therapies.
Check out the published paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.02.002
In this study, we use our collagen microsphere system as a 3D in vitro model to study cell niche factors, contributing to future understanding of cellular interactions at the cell-niche interface and rationalized scaffold design for tissue engineering.
Check out the published paper here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19931-9
In this work, protein micropillar arrays with independently controllable stiffness and elastic modulus were fabricated using a recently developed multiphoton-based 3D protein micro-patterning technology. Human dermal fibroblasts were cultured on these micropillar arrays, and the specific interactions between cells and the protein micropatterns, particularly the formation and maturation of the cell-matrix adhesions, were investigated.
Check out the published paper here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12604-z
