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Hoang P, Sun S, Tarris BA, Ma Z. Controlling Morphology and Functions of Cardiac Organoids by Two-Dimensional Geometrical Templates. Cells Tissues Organs 2023; 212:64-73. [PMID: 35008091 PMCID: PMC9271134 DOI: 10.1159/000521787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, tissue-specific organoids are generated as 3D aggregates of stem cells embedded in Matrigel or hydrogels, and the aggregates eventually end up a spherical shape and suspended in the matrix. Lack of geometrical control of organoid formation makes these spherical organoids limited for modeling the tissues with complex shapes. To address this challenge, we developed a new method to generate 3D spatial-organized cardiac organoids from 2D micropatterned human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) colonies, instead of directly from 3D stem cell aggregates. This new approach opens the possibility to create cardiac organoids that are templated by 2D non-spherical geometries, which potentially provides us a deeper understanding of biophysical controls on developmental organogenesis. Here, we designed 2D geometrical templates with quadrilateral shapes and pentagram shapes that had same total area but different geometrical shapes. Using this templated substrate, we grew cardiac organoids from hiPSCs and collected a series of parameters to characterize morphological and functional properties of the cardiac organoids. In quadrilateral templates, we found that increasing the aspect ratio impaired cardiac tissue 3D self-assembly, but the elongated geometry improved the cardiac contractile functions. However, in pentagram templates, cardiac organoid structure and function were optimized with a specific geometry of an ideal star shape. This study will shed a light on "organogenesis-by-design" by increasing the intricacy of starting templates from external geometrical cues to improve the organoid morphogenesis and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plansky Hoang
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,BioInspired Syracuse Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Shiyang Sun
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,BioInspired Syracuse Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Bearett A Tarris
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,BioInspired Syracuse Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Zhen Ma
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.,BioInspired Syracuse Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
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2
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Kovács KD, Novák M, Hajnal Z, Hős C, Szabó B, Székács I, Fang Y, Bonyár A, Horvath R. Label-free tracking of whole-cell response on RGD functionalized surfaces to varied flow velocities generated by fluidic rotation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 599:620-630. [PMID: 33984760 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.04.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Fluidic flow plays important roles in colloid and interface sciences. Measuring adsorption, aggregation processes and living cell behavior under a fluidic environment with varied flow velocities in a parallel and high-throughput manner remains to be a challenging task. Here a method is introduced to monitor cell response to well-defined flow with varied velocities over an array of label-free resonant waveguide grating (RWG) based optical biosensors. The arrangement consists of a circular well with an array of biosensors at the bottom surface. By rotating the liquid over the biosensor array using a magnetic stirrer bar, flow velocities from zero to a predefined maximum can be easily established over different locations within the biosensor array as characterized in detail by numerical simulations. Cell adhesion and detachment measurements on an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide functionalized surface were performed to demonstrate i) measurements at a wide range of simultaneous flow velocities over the same interface; ii) the possibility of parallel measurements at the same flow conditions in one run; and iii) the simple tuning of the employed range of flow velocities. Our setup made it possible to analyze the magnitude and rate of cell detachment at various flow velocities in parallel and determine the critical velocity and force where cells start to detach from the RGD motif displaying biomimetic surface. Furthermore, cellular response to simultaneous mechanical (flow) and chemical stimulation was also investigated using trypsin as a model. This study opens a new possibility to investigate interface phenomena under predefined and conveniently varied flow conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Dóra Kovács
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, ELKH EK MFA, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Martin Novák
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, ELKH EK MFA, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Hajnal
- Microsystems Laboratory, ELKH EK MFA, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Hős
- Department of Hydrodynamic Systems, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Szabó
- Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Inna Székács
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, ELKH EK MFA, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ye Fang
- EIG New Programs, Corning Research and Development Corporation, Corning Incorporated, NY, USA
| | - Attila Bonyár
- Department of Electronics Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Robert Horvath
- Nanobiosensorics Laboratory, ELKH EK MFA, Budapest, Hungary.
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3
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Laing AF, Tirumala V, Hegarty E, Mondal S, Zhao P, Hamilton WB, Brickman JM, Ben-Yakar A. An automated microfluidic device for time-lapse imaging of mouse embryonic stem cells. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:054102. [PMID: 31558920 PMCID: PMC6748857 DOI: 10.1063/1.5124057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Long-term, time-lapse imaging studies of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) require a controlled and stable culturing environment for high-resolution imaging. Microfluidics is well-suited for such studies, especially when the media composition needs to be rapidly and accurately altered without disrupting the imaging. Current studies in plates, which can only add molecules at the start of an experiment without any information on the levels of endogenous signaling before the exposure, are incompatible with continuous high-resolution imaging and cell-tracking. Here, we present a custom designed, fully automated microfluidic chip to overcome these challenges. A unique feature of our chip includes three-dimensional ports that can connect completely sealed on-chip valves for fluid control to individually addressable cell culture chambers with thin glass bottoms for high-resolution imaging. We developed a robust protocol for on-chip culturing of mouse ESCs for minimum of 3 days, to carry out experiments reliably and repeatedly. The on-chip ESC growth rate was similar to that on standard culture plates with same initial cell density. We tested the chips for high-resolution, time-lapse imaging of a sensitive reporter of ESC lineage priming, Nanog-GFP, and HHex-Venus with an H2B-mCherry nuclear marker for cell-tracking. Two color imaging of cells was possible over a 24-hr period while maintaining cell viability. Importantly, changing the media did not affect our ability to track individual cells. This system now enables long-term fluorescence imaging studies in a reliable and automated manner in a fully controlled microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam F. Laing
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Venkat Tirumala
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Evan Hegarty
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Sudip Mondal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 E. Dean Keeton St., Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Peisen Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2501 Speedway, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - William B. Hamilton
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology—DanStem, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Joshua M. Brickman
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology—DanStem, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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4
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Regier MC, Tokar JJ, Warrick JW, Pabon L, Berthier E, Beebe DJ, Stevens KR. User-defined morphogen patterning for directing human cell fate stratification. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6433. [PMID: 31015521 PMCID: PMC6478938 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42874-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Concentration gradients of biochemical stimuli such as morphogens play a critical role in directing cell fate patterning across species and throughout development but are not commonly recapitulated in vitro. While in vitro biomolecule gradients have been generated using customized microfluidic platforms, broad implementation has been limited because these platforms introduce new variables to cell culture such as externally driven flow, culture in a specialized matrix, or extended time for in situ long range diffusion. Here we introduce a method that enables preforming and then transferring user-controlled gradients to cells in standard "open" cultures. Our gradient patterning devices are modular and decoupled from the culture substrate. We find that gradient generation and transfer are predictable by finite element modeling and that device and loading parameters can be used to tune the stimulus pattern. Furthermore, we demonstrate use of these devices to spatially define morphogen signal gradients and direct peri-gastrulation fate stratification of human pluripotent stem cells. This method for extrinsic application of biochemical signal gradients can thus be used to spatially influence cellular fate decisions in a user-controlled manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Regier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Jacob J Tokar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Jay W Warrick
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53705, Madison, USA
| | - Lil Pabon
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
| | - Erwin Berthier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53706, Madison, USA
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 53792, Madison, USA
| | - Kelly R Stevens
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA.
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, 98109, Seattle, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, USA.
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5
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Rico-Varela J, Ho D, Wan LQ. In Vitro Microscale Models for Embryogenesis. ADVANCED BIOSYSTEMS 2018; 2:1700235. [PMID: 30533517 PMCID: PMC6286056 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201700235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Embryogenesis is a highly regulated developmental process requiring complex mechanical and biochemical microenvironments to give rise to a fully developed and functional embryo. Significant efforts have been taken to recapitulate specific features of embryogenesis by presenting the cells with developmentally relevant signals. The outcomes, however, are limited partly due to the complexity of this biological process. Microtechnologies such as micropatterned and microfluidic systems, along with new emerging embryonic stem cell-based models, could potentially serve as powerful tools to study embryogenesis. The aim of this article is to review major studies involving the culturing of pluripotent stem cells using different geometrical patterns, microfluidic platforms, and embryo/embryoid body-on-a-chip modalities. Indeed, new research opportunities have emerged for establishing in vitro culture for studying human embryogenesis and for high-throughput pharmacological testing platforms and disease models to prevent defects in early stages of human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Rico-Varela
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180
| | - Dominic Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180
| | - Leo Q. Wan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180
- Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180
- Center for Modeling, Simulation and Imaging in Medicine, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180
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6
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Parfitt DE, Shen MM. From blastocyst to gastrula: gene regulatory networks of embryonic stem cells and early mouse embryogenesis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 369:rstb.2013.0542. [PMID: 25349451 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, many regulatory genes and signalling events coordinating mammalian development from blastocyst to gastrulation stages have been identified by mutational analyses and reverse-genetic approaches, typically on a gene-by-gene basis. More recent studies have applied bioinformatic approaches to generate regulatory network models of gene interactions on a genome-wide scale. Such models have provided insights into the gene networks regulating pluripotency in embryonic and epiblast stem cells, as well as cell-lineage determination in vivo. Here, we review how regulatory networks constructed for different stem cell types relate to corresponding networks in vivo and provide insights into understanding the molecular regulation of the blastocyst-gastrula transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David-Emlyn Parfitt
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Michael M Shen
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA Department of Systems Biology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA
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7
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Xing J, Toh YC, Xu S, Yu H. A method for human teratogen detection by geometrically confined cell differentiation and migration. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10038. [PMID: 25966467 PMCID: PMC4428054 DOI: 10.1038/srep10038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unintended exposure to teratogenic compounds can lead to various birth defects; however current animal-based testing is limited by time, cost and high inter-species variability. Here, we developed a human-relevant in vitro model, which recapitulated two cellular events characteristic of embryogenesis, to identify potentially teratogenic compounds. We spatially directed mesoendoderm differentiation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the ensuing cell migration in micropatterned human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) colonies to collectively form an annular mesoendoderm pattern. Teratogens could disrupt the two cellular processes to alter the morphology of the mesoendoderm pattern. Image processing and statistical algorithms were developed to quantify and classify the compounds' teratogenic potential. We not only could measure dose-dependent effects but also correctly classify species-specific drug (Thalidomide) and false negative drug (D-penicillamine) in the conventional mouse embryonic stem cell test. This model offers a scalable screening platform to mitigate the risks of teratogen exposures in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangwa Xing
- Institute of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138669, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab, #05-01, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Yi-Chin Toh
- Institute of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138669, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1 EA #03-12, Singapore 117575
| | - Shuoyu Xu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138669, Singapore
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #10-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Hanry Yu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore 138669, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab, #05-01, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #10-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore 138602, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, MD9-04-11, 2 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Singapore
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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8
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Ahmad AA, Wang Y, Sims CE, Magness ST, Allbritton NL. Optimizing Wnt-3a and R-spondin1 concentrations for stem cell renewal and differentiation in intestinal organoids using a gradient-forming microdevice. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra14923a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A gradient-generating device assayed the impact of Wnt-3a and R-spondin1 on colonoids identifying concentrations required to yield a physiologically-relevant epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asad A. Ahmad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of North Carolina
- North Carolina State University
- Chapel Hill
- Raleigh
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Chemistry
- University of North Carolina
- Chapel Hill
- USA
| | | | - Scott T. Magness
- Department of Medicine
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- University of North Carolina
- Chapel Hill
- USA
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- University of North Carolina
- North Carolina State University
- Chapel Hill
- Raleigh
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9
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Wu J, Fan Y, Tzanakakis ES. Increased culture density is linked to decelerated proliferation, prolonged G1 phase, and enhanced propensity for differentiation of self-renewing human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Dev 2014; 24:892-903. [PMID: 25405279 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2014.0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) display a very short G1 phase and rapid proliferation kinetics. Regulation of the cell cycle, which is linked to pluripotency and differentiation, is dependent on the stem cell environment, particularly on culture density. This link has been so far empirical and central to disparities in the growth rates and fractions of self-renewing hPSCs residing in different cycle phases. In this study, hPSC cycle progression in conjunction with proliferation and differentiation were comprehensively investigated for different culture densities. Cell proliferation decelerated significantly at densities beyond 50×10(4) cells/cm(2). Correspondingly, the G1 fraction increased from 25% up to 60% at densities greater than 40×10(4) cells/cm(2) while still hPSC pluripotency marker expression was maintained. In parallel, expression of the cycle inhibitor CDKN1A (p21) was increased, while that of p27 and p53 did not change significantly. After 4 days of culture in an unconditioned medium, greater heterogeneity was noted in the differentiation outcomes and was limited by reducing the density variation. A quantitative model was constructed for self-renewing and differentiating hPSC ensembles to gain a better understanding of the link between culture density, cycle progression, and stem cell state. Results for multiple hPSC lines and medium types corroborated experimental findings. Media commonly used for maintenance of self-renewing hPSCs exhibited the slowest kinetics of induction of differentiation (kdiff), while BMP4 supplementation led to 14-fold higher kdiff values. Spontaneous differentiation in a growth factor-free medium exhibited the largest variation in outcomes at different densities. In conjunction with the quantitative framework, our findings will facilitate rationalizing the selection of cultivation conditions for the generation of stem cell therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University , Medford, Massachusetts
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10
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Cimetta E, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Microscale technologies for regulating human stem cell differentiation. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2014; 239:1255-63. [PMID: 24737735 DOI: 10.1177/1535370214530369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During development and regeneration, tissues emerge from coordinated sequences of stem cell renewal, specialization, and assembly that are orchestrated by cascades of regulatory factors. This complex in vivo milieu, while necessary to fully recapitulate biology and to properly engineer progenitor cells, is difficult to replicate in vitro. We are just starting to fully realize the importance of the entire context of cell microenvironment-the other cells, three-dimensional matrix, molecular and physical signals. Bioengineered environments that combine tissue-specific transport and signaling are critical to study cellular responses at biologically relevant scales and in settings predictive of human condition. We therefore developed microbioreactors that couple the application of fast dynamic changes in environmental signals with versatile, high-throughput operation and imaging capability. Our base device is a microfluidic platform with an array of microwells containing cells or tissue constructs that are exposed to stable concentration gradients. Mathematical modeling of flow and mass transport can predict the shape of these gradients and the kinetic changes in local concentrations. A single platform, the size of a microscope slide, contains up to 120 biological samples. As an example of application, we describe studies of cell fate specification and mesodermal lineage commitment in human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. The embryoid bodies formed from these cells were subjected to single and multiple concentration gradients of Wnt3a, Activin A, bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4), and their inhibitors, and the gene expression profiles were correlated to the concentration gradients of morphogens to identify the exact conditions for mesodermal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cimetta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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11
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Abstract
Understanding the processes by which stem cells give rise to de novo tissues is an active focus of stem cell biology and bioengineering disciplines. Instructive morphogenic cues surrounding the stem cell during morphogenesis create what is referred to as the stem cell microenvironment. An emerging paradigm in stem cell bioengineering involves "biologically driven assembly," in which stem cells are encouraged to largely define their own morphogenesis processes. However, even in the case of biologically driven assembly, stem cells do not act alone. The properties of the surrounding microenvironment can be critical regulators of cell fate. Stem cell-material interactions are among the most well-characterized microenvironmental effectors of stem cell fate and establish a signaling "context" that can define the mode of influence for morphogenic cues. Here we describe illustrative examples of cell-material interactions that occur during in vitro stem cell studies, with an emphasis on how cell-material interactions create instructive contexts for stem cell differentiation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Khalil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Orthopedics University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
| | - Angela W. Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Orthopedics University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
| | - William L. Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Orthopedics University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
- Department of Biomedical Rehabilitation, and Material Science University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA
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12
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Vunjak-Novakovic G, Bhatia S, Chen C, Hirschi K. HeLiVa platform: integrated heart-liver-vascular systems for drug testing in human health and disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2013; 4 Suppl 1:S8. [PMID: 24565063 PMCID: PMC4029174 DOI: 10.1186/scrt369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Our project team is developing an integrated microphysiological platform with functionally connected vascular, liver and cardiac microtissues derived from a single line of human pluripotent stem cells. The platform enables functional representation of human physiology in conjunction with real-time biological readouts (via imaging and homologous reporters for all three cell phenotypes) and compatibility with high-throughput/high-content analysis. In this paper, we summarize progress made over the first year of the grant.
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13
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Titmarsh DM, Chen H, Glass NR, Cooper-White JJ. Concise review: microfluidic technology platforms: poised to accelerate development and translation of stem cell-derived therapies. Stem Cells Transl Med 2013; 3:81-90. [PMID: 24311699 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2013-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells are a powerful resource for producing a variety of cell types with utility in clinically associated applications, including preclinical drug screening and development, disease and developmental modeling, and regenerative medicine. Regardless of the type of stem cell, substantial barriers to clinical translation still exist and must be overcome to realize full clinical potential. These barriers span processes including cell isolation, expansion, and differentiation; purification, quality control, and therapeutic efficacy and safety; and the economic viability of bioprocesses for production of functional cell products. Microfluidic systems have been developed for a myriad of biological applications and have the intrinsic capability of controlling and interrogating the cellular microenvironment with unrivalled precision; therefore, they have particular relevance to overcoming such barriers to translation. Development of microfluidic technologies increasingly utilizes stem cells, addresses stem cell-relevant biological phenomena, and aligns capabilities with translational challenges and goals. In this concise review, we describe how microfluidic technologies can contribute to the translation of stem cell research outcomes, and we provide an update on innovative research efforts in this area. This timely convergence of stem cell translational challenges and microfluidic capabilities means that there is now an opportunity for both disciplines to benefit from increased interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew M Titmarsh
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and
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14
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Cimetta E, Godier-Furnémont A, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Bioengineering heart tissue for in vitro testing. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2013; 24:926-32. [PMID: 23932513 PMCID: PMC3783612 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Revised: 07/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A classical paradigm of tissue engineering is to grow tissues for implantation by using human stem cells in conjunction with biomaterial scaffolds (templates for tissue formation) and bioreactors (culture systems providing environmental control). A reverse paradigm is now emerging through microphysiological platforms for preclinical testing of drugs and modeling of disease that contain large numbers of very small human tissues. We discuss the biomimetic approach as a common underlying principle and some of the specifics related to the design and utilization of platforms with heart micro-tissues for high-throughput screening in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Cimetta
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 622 West 168th Street, VC12-234, New York, NY 10032, USA
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