Cryogel-PCL combination scaffolds for bone tissue repair

The present work describes the development and the evaluation of cryogel-poly-ε-caprolactone combinatory scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Gelatin was selected as cell-interactive biopolymer to enable the adhesion and the proliferation of mouse calvaria pre-osteoblasts while poly-ε-caprolactone was applied for its mechanical strength required for the envisaged application. In order to realize suitable osteoblast carriers, methacrylamide-functionalized gelatin was introduced into 3D printed poly-ε-caprolactone scaffolds created using the Bioplotter technology, followed by performing a cryogenic treatment which was concomitant with the redox-initiated, covalent crosslinking of the gelatin derivative (i.e. cryogelation). In a first part, the efficiency of the cryogelation process was determined using gel fraction experiments and by correlating the results with conventional hydrogel formation at room temperature. Next, the optimal cryogelation parameters were fed into the combinatory approach and the scaffolds developed were characterized for their structural and mechanical properties using scanning electron microscopy, micro-computed tomography and compression tests respectively. In a final part, in vitro biocompatibility assays indicated a good colonization of the pre-osteoblasts and the attachment of viable cells onto the cryogenic network. However, the results also show that the cellular infiltration throughout the entire scaffold is suboptimal, which implies that the scaffold design should be optimized by reducing the cryogel density.

First step toward near-infrared continuous glucose monitoring: in vivo evaluation of antibody coupled biomaterials

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is crucial in diabetic care. Long-term CGM systems however require an accurate sensor as well as a suitable measuring environment. Since large intravenous sensors are not feasible, measuring inside the interstitial fluid is considered the best alternative. This option, unfortunately, has the drawback of a lag time with blood glucose values. A good strategy to circumvent this is to enhance tissue integration and enrich the peri-implant vasculature. Implants of different optically transparent biomaterials (poly(methyl-methacrylate) [PMMA] and poly(dimethylsiloxane) [PDMS]) - enabling glucose monitoring in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum - were surface-treated and subsequently implanted in goats at various implantation sites for up to 3 months. The overall in vivo biocompatibility, tissue integration, and vascularization at close proximity of the surfaces of these materials were assessed. Histological screening showed similar tissue reactions independent of the implantation site. No significant inflammation reaction was observed. Tissue integration and vascularization correlated, to some extent, with the biomaterial composition. A modification strategy, in which a vascular endothelial-cadherin antibody was coupled to the biomaterials surface through a dopamine layer, showed significantly enhanced vascularization 3 months after subcutaneous implantation. Our results suggest that the developed strategy enables the creation of tissue interactive NIR transparent packaging materials, opening the possibility of continuous glucose monitoring.

Injectable self-gelling composites for bone tissue engineering based on gellan gum hydrogel enriched with different bioglasses

Hydrogels of biocompatible calcium-crosslinkable polysaccharide gellan gum (GG) were enriched with bioglass particles to enhance (i) mineralization with calcium phosphate (CaP); (ii) antibacterial properties and (iii) growth of bone-forming cells for future bone regeneration applications. Three bioglasses were compared, namely one calcium-rich and one calcium-poor preparation both produced by a sol-gel technique (hereafter referred to as A2 and S2, respectively) and one preparation of composition close to that of the commonly used 45S5 type (hereafter referred to as NBG). Incubation in SBF for 7 d, 14 d and 21 d caused apatite formation in bioglass-containing but not in bioglass-free samples, as confirmed by FTIR, XRD, SEM, ICP-OES, and measurements of dry mass, i.e. mass attributable to polymer and mineral and not water. Mechanical testing revealed an increase in compressive modulus in samples containing S2 and NBG but not A2. Antibacterial testing using biofilm-forming meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) showed markedly higher antibacterial activity of samples containing A2 and S2 than samples containing NBG and bioglass-free samples. Cell biological characterization using rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) revealed a stimulatory effect of NBG on rMSC differentiation. The addition of bioglass thus promotes GG mineralizability and, depending on bioglass type, antibacterial properties and rMSC differentiation.

Galactose-functionalized gelatin hydrogels improve the functionality of encapsulated HepG2 cells

The present study investigates the effect of galactosylated gelatin on encapsulated HepG2 cells. Methacrylamide modified gelatin is evaluated and compared with its galactosylated counterpart with respect to effects on viability, morphological characteristics, proliferation, and the expression of hepatocyte specific markers. The research reveals that further modifications of methacrylamide modified gelatin are possible without affecting the survival of the encapsulated cells (viability of 90%). Moreover, the study demonstrates a clear and long-term (up to 21 d) improvement in hepatocyte specific gene expression when the cells are encapsulated in the galactosylated gelatin. It is concluded that the use of galactosylated gelatin derivates supports the hepatocyte phenotype.

Plasma surface modification of polylactic acid to promote interaction with fibroblasts

In this work, medium pressure plasma treatment of polylactic acid (PLA) is investigated. PLA is a biocompatible aliphatic polymer, which can be used for bone fixation devices and tissue engineering scaffolds. Due to inadequate surface properties, cell adhesion and proliferation are far less than optimal and a surface modification is required for most biomedical applications. By using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating at medium pressure in different atmospheres, the surface properties of a PLA foil are modified. After plasma treatment, water contact angle measurements showed an increased hydrophilic character of the foil surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed an increased oxygen content. Cell culture tests showed that plasma modification of PLA films increased the initial cell attachment both quantitatively and qualitatively. After 1 day, cells on plasma-treated PLA showed a superior cell morphology in comparison with unmodified PLA samples. However, after 7 days of culture, no significant differences were observed between untreated and plasma-modified PLA samples. While plasma treatment improves the initial cell attachment, it does not seem to influence cell proliferation. It has also been observed that the difference between the 3 discharge gases is negligible when looking at the improved cell-material interactions. From economical point of view, plasma treatments in air are thus the best choice.

Periosteal chondroma of the proximaltibia mimicking Osgood-Schlatter's disease

We report a case of a periosteal chondroma of the proximal tibia in an 11-year-old girl, which was initially misdiagnosed as Osgood-Schlatter's disease. The absence of pain and meticulous analysis of the imaging findings on initial and follow-up plain radiographs, ultrasound and MRI allowed to suggest the diagnosis of a periosteal chondroma, which was confirmed after biopsy. Besides the difficulty in the imaging diagnosis of the lesion, determination of the optimal treatment strategy may be challenging as well. Given the localization of this lesion close to the growth plate, decision has to be made whether the lesion will be treated surgically or a waitful watching policy will be implemented in order to prevent interference with the normal growth of the bone.

Cell survival and proliferation after encapsulation in a chemically modified Pluronic(R) F127 hydrogel

Pluronic® F127 is a biocompatible, injectable, and thermoresponsive polymer with promising biomedical applications. In this study, a chemically modified form, i.e., Pluronic ALA-L with tailored degradation rate, was tested as an encapsulation vehicle for osteoblastic cells. UV cross-linking of the modified polymer results in a stable hydrogel with a slower degradation rate. Toxicological screening showed no adverse effects of the modified Pluronic ALA-L on the cell viability. Moreover, high viability of embedded cells in the cross-linked Pluronic ALA-L was observed with life/death fluorescent staining during a 7-day-culture period. Cells were also cultured on macroporous, cross-linked gelatin microbeads, called CultiSpher-S® carriers, and encapsulated into the modified cross-linked hydrogel. Also, in this situation, good cell proliferation and migration could be observed in vitro. Preliminary in vivo tests have shown the formation of new bone starting from the injected pre-loaded CultiSpher-S® carriers.

Expansion of human embryonic stem cells: a comparative study

OBJECTIVES

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are promising for tissue engineering (TE) purposes due to their unique properties. However, current standard mechanical passaging techniques limit rates of possible TE experiments, as it is difficult to obtain high enough numbers of the cells for experimentation. In this study, several dissociative solutions and application methods are tested for their applicability to, and influence on, hESC culture and expansion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expansion of two hESC lines, H1 and VUB01, subjected to different passaging techniques, was evaluated. Four dissociative solutions - TrypLE™ Express, Trypsin-EDTA, Cell Dissociation Solution and Accutase™- were combined with two application protocols. As reference conditions, manual and bead-based passaging techniques were used.

RESULTS

Results showed that use of Cell Dissociation Solution in combination with a slow adaptation protocol, generated the best expansion profile for both cell lines. The hESC single cell lines remained pluripotent, had good expansion profiles and were capable of differentiation into representatives of all three germ layers. Reproducibility of the results was confirmed by adaptation for three other hESC lines.

CONCLUSION

Use of Cell Dissociation Solution, combined with slow adaptation protocol, allows a fast switch from the mechanical passaging technique to a single-cell split technique, generating stable and robust hESC cell lines, which allow for large scale expansion of hESC for TE purposes.

An efficient, economical slow-freezing method for large-scale human embryonic stem cell banking

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are one of the most interesting cell types for tissue engineering, cell therapy, basic scientific research, and drug screening. Fast advancement in these areas requires the availability of large amounts of safe and well-characterized hESCs from hESC banks. Therefore, optimized freezing protocols, allowing the cryopreservation of large amounts of hESC without direct contact with liquid nitrogen, need to be established. In this study, 6 different cryoprotector combinations [dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol, and hydroxyethylstarch (HES)] combined with 2 different application methods were screened with the VUB01 cell line, to establish a new slow-freezing protocol with high recovery rates and a good expansion capacity. Our best conditions were confirmed in 4 other hESC lines: H1, H9, 181, and UGent2. To our knowledge, this is the first time that HES is evaluated as a cryoprotector for hESCs. The use of 5% DMSO+5% HES combined with a new detachment protocol leads to efficient hESC cryopreservation. This protocol involves treating the hESC colonies with cell dissociation solution, a mild dissociation solution uncommonly used for hESC culture. A recovery ratio ranging from 45.5% to 168.2% was obtained, and these were significantly different from the other tested conditions (Student's t-test, P<0.05). The cryopreserved hESCs were morphologically comparable to control cells, exhibited a good expansion profile, were positive for pluripotent expression markers, and could still differentiate into the 3 germ layers. This new protocol allows efficient and economical hESC cryopreservation, ideal for hESC banking.

Gelatin-based microcarriers as embryonic stem cell delivery system in bone tissue engineering: an in-vitro study

Mouse embryonic stem cells were cultured on commercially available biodegradable macroporous microcarriers. A culture period of 1-2 weeks was needed to colonize the microcarriers. Embryonic stem cells retained their pluripotency for up to 14 days when cultured in medium supplemented with leukemia inhibitory factor. Replacing this medium by differentiation medium for 2 weeks initiated osteogenic differentiation. Encapsulation of the cell-loaded microcarriers in photopolymerizable polymers (methacrylate-endcapped poly-D,L-lactide-co-caprolactone), triacetin/hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) as solvent and with/without gelatin as porogen, resulted in a homogeneous distribution of the microcarriers in the polymer. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, viability of the cells was optimal when gelatin was omitted and when using triacetin instead of HEMA.

Isolation, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic cells to study cell/biomaterial interactions: comparison of different isolation techniques and source

A sufficient amount of easily obtained and well-characterized osteoblastic cells is a useful tool to study biomaterial/cell interactions essential for bone tissue engineering. Osteoblastic cells were derived from adult and fetal rat via different isolation techniques. The isolation and in vitro proliferation of primary cultures were compared. The osteogenic potential of subcultures was studied by culturing them in osteogenic medium and compared with respect to alkaline phosphatase activity, nodule formation and mineralization potential. Calvaria cells were easier to obtain and the amount of cells released by enzymatic isolation was higher than for the long bone cells. The expansion of the cells in primary culture was highest for fetal calvaria cells compared to fetal and adult long bone cells. All cultures expressed high alkaline phosphatase activity except for calvaria cells obtained by spontaneous outgrowth. Enzymatic isolation of fetal calvaria and long bone cells favoured the osteogenic differentiation. Enzymatically isolated calvaria cells formed well-defined three-dimensional nodules which mineralized restricted to this area. On the contrary, cultures derived from fetal as well as adult long bones mineralized in ill-defined deposits throughout the culture and only formed occasionally nodular-like structures. The mineral phase of all osteoblastic cultures was identified as a carbonate-containing apatite. The present study demonstrates that considering the isolation method, proliferation capacity and the osteogenic potential, the enzymatically released fetal calvaria cells are most satisfactory to study cell/biomaterial interactions.

Case report 814: Fibrolipoma of the median nerve

A case of fibrolipoma of the median nerve was described. Peripheral nerve tumors of the upper extremity are very rare. Within this group of tumors, the fibrolipoma is an exceedingly uncommon entity. It was first described in 1953, and to date less than 100 cases have been described. The purpose of this report was to point out a characteristic sign of fibrolipoma, which in our opinion allows distinction on CT and MRI between fibrolipoma and the other peripheral nerve and fatty soft tissue tumors.

Peritoneal seeding of a cerebral malignant astrocytoma via a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt

Except for glioblastomas, metastases of astrocytomas and of intracerebral tumors are in general very rare. It is well known that the process of spreading can be provoked or accelerated by surgical procedures. The presented patient, with the initial diagnosis of grade III astrocytoma developed peritoneal metastases after placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt.

Higher than usual dosage of haloperidol: a pilot study in 'back ward' schizophrenics

A study was carried out in 39 severe, chronic psychotic patients of the effect of rapidly increasing and larger than usual doses of haloperidol in bringing about an improvement in their condition. Symptoms clearly improved in 10 patients. No improvement was observed in the other 29. However, such a success rate with chemotherapy alone, achieved under conditions where occupational or group therapy could not be given, clearly demonstrates the value of such drug administration. Haloperidol has proved to be remarkably safe in this high dose regimen. It should certainly form an integral part of the more comprehensive therapy programmes of the future.