Peptide-mediated selective adhesion of smooth muscle and endothelial cells in microfluidic shear flow

Passive microfluidic devices for cell separation

The separation of specific cell populations is instrumental in gaining insights into cellular processes, elucidating disease mechanisms, and advancing applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, diagnostics, and cell therapies. Microfluidic methods for cell separation have propelled the field forward, benefitting from miniaturization, advanced fabrication technologies, a profound understanding of fluid dynamics governing particle separation mechanisms, and a surge in interdisciplinary investigations focused on diverse applications. Cell separation methodologies can be categorized according to their underlying separation mechanisms. Passive microfluidic separation systems rely on channel structures and fluidic rheology, obviating the necessity for external force fields to facilitate label-free cell separation. These passive approaches offer a compelling combination of cost-effectiveness and scalability when compared to active methods that depend on external fields to manipulate cells. This review delves into the extensive utilization of passive microfluidic techniques for cell separation, encompassing various strategies such as filtration, sedimentation, adhesion-based techniques, pinched flow fractionation (PFF), deterministic lateral displacement (DLD), inertial microfluidics, hydrophoresis, viscoelastic microfluidics, and hybrid microfluidics. Besides, the review provides an in-depth discussion concerning cell types, separation markers, and the commercialization of these technologies. Subsequently, it outlines the current challenges faced in the field and presents a forward-looking perspective on potential future developments. This work hopes to aid in facilitating the dissemination of knowledge in cell separation, guiding future research, and informing practical applications across diverse scientific disciplines.

Functional regeneration at the blood-biomaterial interface

The use of cardiovascular implants is commonplace in clinical practice. However, reproducing the key bioactive and adaptive properties of native cardiovascular tissues with an artificial replacement is highly challenging. Exciting new treatment strategies are under development to regenerate (parts of) cardiovascular tissues directly in situ using immunomodulatory biomaterials. Direct exposure to the bloodstream and hemodynamic loads is a particular challenge, given the risk of thrombosis and adverse remodeling that it brings. However, the blood is also a source of (immune) cells and proteins that dominantly contribute to functional tissue regeneration. This review explores the potential of the blood as a source for the complete or partial in situ regeneration of cardiovascular tissues, with a particular focus on the endothelium, being the natural blood-tissue barrier. We pinpoint the current scientific challenges to enable rational engineering and testing of blood-contacting implants to leverage the regenerative potential of the blood.

Bladder Cancer Cells Interaction with Lectin-Coated Surfaces under Static and Flow Conditions

Aberrant expression of glycans, i.e., oligosaccharide moiety covalently attached to proteins or lipids, is characteristic of various cancers, including urothelial ones. The binding of lectins to glycans is classified as molecular recognition, which makes lectins a strong tool for understanding their role in developing diseases. Here, we present a quantitative approach to tracing glycan-lectin interactions in cells, from the initial to the steady phase of adhesion. The cell adhesion was measured between urothelial cell lines (non-malignant HCV29 and carcinoma HT1376 and T24 cells) and lectin-coated surfaces. Depending on the timescale, single-cell force spectroscopy, and adhesion assays conducted in static and flow conditions were applied. The obtained results reveal that the adhesion of urothelial cells to two specific lectins, i.e., phytohemagglutinin-L and wheat germ agglutinin, was specific and selective. Thus, these lectins can be applied to selectively capture, identify, and differentiate between cancer types in a label-free manner. These results open up the possibility of designing lectin-based biosensors for diagnostic or prognostic purposes and developing strategies for drug delivery that could target cancer-associated glycans.

A small-diameter vascular graft immobilized peptides for capturing endothelial colony-forming cells

Combining synthetic polymers and biomacromolecules prevents the occurrence of thrombogenicity and intimal hyperplasia in small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs). In the present study, an electrospinning poly (L)-lactic acid (PLLA) bilayered scaffold is developed to prevent thrombosis after implantation by promoting the capture and differentiation of endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs). The scaffold consists of an outer PLLA scaffold and an inner porous PLLA biomimetic membrane combined with heparin (Hep), peptide Gly-Gly-Gly-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (GGG-REDV), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle goniometry were performed to determine successful synthesis. The tensile strength of the outer layer was obtained using the recorded stress/strain curves, and hemocompatibility was evaluated using the blood clotting test. The proliferation, function, and differentiation properties of ECFCs were measured on various surfaces. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of ECFCs on the surface. The outer layer of scaffolds exhibited a similar strain and stress performance as the human saphenous vein via the tensile experiment. The contact angle decreased continuously until it reached 56° after REDV/VEGF modification, and SEM images of platelet adhesion showed a better hemocompatibility surface after modification. The ECFCs were captured using the REDV + VEGF + surface successfully under flow conditions. The expression of mature ECs was constantly increased with the culture of ECFCs on REDV + VEGF + surfaces. SEM images showed that the ECFCs captured by the REDV + VEGF + surface formed capillary-like structures after 4 weeks of culture. The SDVGs modified by REDV combined with VEGF promoted ECFC capture and rapid differentiation into ECs, forming capillary-like structures in vitro. The bilayered SDVGs could be used as vascular devices that achieved a high patency rate and rapid re-endothelialization.

Bioaffinity-based surface immobilization of antibodies to capture endothelial colony-forming cells

Maximizing the re-endothelialization of vascular implants such as prostheses or stents has the potential to significantly improve their long-term performance. Endothelial progenitor cell capture stents with surface-immobilized antibodies show significantly improved endothelialization in the clinic. However, most current antibody-based stent surface modification strategies rely on antibody adsorption or direct conjugation via amino or carboxyl groups which leads to poor control over antibody surface concentration and/or molecular orientation, and ultimately bioavailability for cell capture. Here, we assess the utility of a bioaffinity-based surface modification strategy to immobilize antibodies targeting endothelial cell surface antigens. A cysteine-tagged truncated protein G polypeptide containing three Fc-binding domains was conjugated onto aminated polystyrene substrates via a bi-functional linking arm, followed by antibody immobilization. Different IgG antibodies were successfully immobilized on the protein G-modified surfaces. Covalent grafting of the protein G polypeptide was more effective than surface adsorption in immobilizing antibodies at high density based on fluorophore-labeled secondary antibody detection, as well as endothelial colony-forming cell capture through anti-CD144 antibodies. This work presents a potential avenue for enhancing the performance of cell capture strategies by using covalent grafting of protein G polypeptides to immobilize IgG antibodies.

A Review of Functional Analysis of Endothelial Cells in Flow Chambers

The vascular endothelial cells constitute the innermost layer. The cells are exposed to mechanical stress by the flow, causing them to express their functions. To elucidate the functions, methods involving seeding endothelial cells as a layer in a chamber were studied. The chambers are known as parallel plate, T-chamber, step, cone plate, and stretch. The stimulated functions or signals from endothelial cells by flows are extensively connected to other outer layers of arteries or organs. The coculture layer was developed in a chamber to investigate the interaction between smooth muscle cells in the middle layer of the blood vessel wall in vascular physiology and pathology. Additionally, the microfabrication technology used to create a chamber for a microfluidic device involves both mechanical and chemical stimulation of cells to show their dynamics in in vivo microenvironments. The purpose of this study is to summarize the blood flow (flow inducing) for the functions connecting to endothelial cells and blood vessels, and to find directions for future chamber and device developments for further understanding and application of vascular functions. The relationship between chamber design flow, cell layers, and microfluidics was studied.

Recent advance in treatment of atherosclerosis: Key targets and plaque-positioned delivery strategies

Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of vascular wall, is a progressive pathophysiological process with lipids oxidation/depositing initiation and innate/adaptive immune responses. The coordination of multi systems covering oxidative stress, dysfunctional endothelium, diseased lipid uptake, cell apoptosis, thrombotic and pro-inflammatory responding as well as switched SMCs contributes to plaque growth. In this circumstance, inevitably, targeting these processes is considered to be effective for treating atherosclerosis. Arriving, retention and working of payload candidates mediated by targets in lesion direct ultimate therapeutic outcomes. Accumulating a series of scientific studies and clinical practice in the past decades, lesion homing delivery strategies including stent/balloon/nanoparticle-based transportation worked as the potent promotor to ensure a therapeutic effect. The objective of this review is to achieve a very brief summary about the effective therapeutic methods cooperating specifical targets and positioning-delivery strategies in atherosclerosis for better outcomes.

Regulation of stem cell fate using nanostructure-mediated physical signals

One of the major issues in tissue engineering is regulation of stem cell differentiation toward specific lineages. Unlike biological and chemical signals, physical signals with adjustable properties can be applied to stem cells in a timely and localized manner, thus making them a hot topic for research in the fields of biomaterials, tissue engineering, and cell biology. According to the signals sensed by cells, physical signals used for regulating stem cell fate can be classified into six categories: mechanical, light, thermal, electrical, acoustic, and magnetic. In most cases, external macroscopic physical fields cannot be used to modulate stem cell fate, as only the localized physical signals accepted by the surface receptors can regulate stem cell differentiation via nanoscale fibrin polysaccharide fibers. However, surface receptors related to certain kinds of physical signals are still unknown. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of functional materials for energy conversion. Consequently, localized physical fields can be produced by absorbing energy from an external physical field and subsequently releasing another type of localized energy through functional nanostructures. Based on the above concepts, we propose a methodology that can be utilized for stem cell engineering and for the regulation of stem cell fate via nanostructure-mediated physical signals. In this review, the combined effect of various approaches and mechanisms of physical signals provides a perspective on stem cell fate promotion by nanostructure-mediated physical signals. We expect that this review will aid the development of remote-controlled and wireless platforms to physically guide stem cell differentiation both in vitro and in vivo, using optimized stimulation parameters and mechanistic investigations while driving the progress of research in the fields of materials science, cell biology, and clinical research.

Impact of REDV peptide density and its linker structure on the capture, movement, and adhesion of flowing endothelial progenitor cells in microfluidic devices

Ligand-immobilization to stents and vascular grafts is expected to promote endothelialization by capturing flowing endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). However, the optimized ligand density and linker structure have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that flowing EPCs were selectively captured by the REDV peptide conjugated with a short linker. The microchannel surface was modified with the REDV peptide via Gly-Gly-Gly (G3), (Gly-Gly-Gly)₃ (G9), and diethylene glycol (diEG) linkers, and the moving velocity and captured ratio were evaluated. On the unmodified microchannels, the moving velocity of the cells exhibited a unimodal distribution similar to the liquid flow. The velocity of the endothelial cells and EPCs on the peptide-immobilized surface indicated a bimodal distribution, and approximately 20 to 30% of cells moved slower than the liquid flow, suggesting that the cells were captured and rolled on the surface. When the immobilized ligand density was lower than 1 molecule/nm², selective cell capture was observed only in REDV with G3 and diEG linkers, but not in G9 linkers. An in silico study revealed that the G9 linker tends to form a bent structure, and the REDV peptide is oriented to the substrate side. These results indicated that REDV captured the flowing EPC in a sequence-specific manner, and that the short linker was more adequate.

Challenges and strategies for in situ endothelialization and long-term lumen patency of vascular grafts

Vascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of ischemic necrosis of tissue and organ, which even result in dysfunction and death. Vascular regeneration or artificial vascular graft, as the conventional treatment modality, has received keen attentions. However, small-diameter (diameter < 4 mm) vascular grafts have a high risk of thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia (IH), which makes long-term lumen patency challengeable. Endothelial cells (ECs) form the inner endothelium layer, and are crucial for anti-coagulation and thrombogenesis. Thus, promoting in situ endothelialization in vascular graft remodeling takes top priority, which requires recruitment of endothelia progenitor cells (EPCs), migration, adhesion, proliferation and activation of EPCs and ECs. Chemotaxis aimed at ligands on EPC surface can be utilized for EPC homing, while nanofibrous structure, biocompatible surface and cell-capturing molecules on graft surface can be applied for cell adhesion. Moreover, cell orientation can be regulated by topography of scaffold, and cell bioactivity can be modulated by growth factors and therapeutic genes. Additionally, surface modification can also reduce thrombogenesis, and some drug release can inhibit IH. Considering the influence of macrophages on ECs and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), scaffolds loaded with drugs that can promote M2 polarization are alternative strategies. In conclusion, the advanced strategies for enhanced long-term lumen patency of vascular grafts are summarized in this review. Strategies for recruitment of EPCs, adhesion, proliferation and activation of EPCs and ECs, anti-thrombogenesis, anti-IH, and immunomodulation are discussed. Ideal vascular grafts with appropriate surface modification, loading and fabrication strategies are required in further studies.

Peptides and pseudopeptide ligands: a powerful toolbox for the affinity purification of current and next-generation biotherapeutics

Following the consolidation of therapeutic proteins in the fight against cancer, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative diseases, recent advancements in biochemistry and biotechnology have introduced a host of next-generation biotherapeutics, such as CRISPR-Cas nucleases, stem and car-T cells, and viral vectors for gene therapy. With these drugs entering the clinical pipeline, a new challenge lies ahead: how to manufacture large quantities of high-purity biotherapeutics that meet the growing demand by clinics and biotech companies worldwide. The protein ligands employed by the industry are inadequate to confront this challenge: while featuring high binding affinity and selectivity, these ligands require laborious engineering and expensive manufacturing, are prone to biochemical degradation, and pose safety concerns related to their bacterial origin. Peptides and pseudopeptides make excellent candidates to form a new cohort of ligands for the purification of next-generation biotherapeutics. Peptide-based ligands feature excellent target biorecognition, low or no toxicity and immunogenicity, and can be manufactured affordably at large scale. This work presents a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature on peptide-based ligands and their use in the affinity purification of established and upcoming biological drugs. A comparative analysis is first presented on peptide engineering principles, the development of ligands targeting different biomolecular targets, and the promises and challenges connected to the industrial implementation of peptide ligands. The reviewed literature is organized in (i) conventional (α-)peptides targeting antibodies and other therapeutic proteins, gene therapy products, and therapeutic cells; (ii) cyclic peptides and pseudo-peptides for protein purification and capture of viral and bacterial pathogens; and (iii) the forefront of peptide mimetics, such as β-/γ-peptides, peptoids, foldamers, and stimuli-responsive peptides for advanced processing of biologics.

Past, Present, and Future of Affinity-based Cell Separation Technologies

Progress in cell purification technology is critical to increase the availability of viable cells for therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications. A variety of techniques are now available for cell separation, ranging from non-affinity methods such as density gradient centrifugation, dielectrophoresis, and filtration, to affinity methods such as chromatography, two-phase partitioning, and magnetic-/fluorescence-assisted cell sorting. For clinical and analytical procedures that require highly purified cells, the choice of cell purification method is crucial, since every method offers a different balance between yield, purity, and bioactivity of the cell product. For most applications, the requisite purity is only achievable through affinity methods, owing to the high target specificity that they grant. In this review, we discuss past and current methods for developing cell-targeting affinity ligands and their application in cell purification, along with the benefits and challenges associated with different purification formats. We further present new technologies, like stimuli-responsive ligands and parallelized microfluidic devices, towards improving the viability and throughput of cell products for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Our comparative analysis provides guidance in the multifarious landscape of cell separation techniques and highlights new technologies that are poised to play a key role in the future of cell purification in clinical settings and the biotech industry. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Technologies for cell purification have served science, medicine, and industrial biotechnology and biomanufacturing for decades. This review presents a comprehensive survey of this field by highlighting the scope and relevance of all known methods for cell isolation, old and new alike. The first section covers the main classes of target cells and compares traditional non-affinity and affinity-based purification techniques, focusing on established ligands and chromatographic formats. The second section presents an excursus of affinity-based pseudo-chromatographic and non-chromatographic technologies, especially focusing on magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Finally, the third section presents an overview of new technologies and emerging trends, highlighting how the progress in chemical, material, and microfluidic sciences has opened new exciting avenues towards high-throughput and high-purity cell isolation processes. This review is designed to guide scientists and engineers in their choice of suitable cell purification techniques for research or bioprocessing needs.

Biomaterials functionalized with nanoclusters of integrin- and syndecan-binding ligands improve cell adhesion and mechanosensing under shear flow conditions

We have engineered biomaterials that display nanoclusters of ligands that bind both integrin and syndecan-4 cell receptors. These surfaces regulate cell behaviors under static conditions including adhesion, spreading, actin stress fiber formation, and migration. The syndecan-4 receptors are also critical mediators of cellular mechanotransduction. In this contribution we assess whether this novel class of materials can regulate the response of cells to applied mechanical stimulation, using the shear stress imparted by laminar fluid flow as a model stimulus. Specifically, we assess endothelial cell detachment due to flow, cell alignment due to flow, and cell adhesion from the flowing fluid. A high degree of cell retention was observed on surfaces containing integrin-binding ligands or a mixed population of integrin- and syndecan-binding ligands. However, the presence of both ligand types was necessary for the cells to align in the direction of flow. These results imply that integrin engagement is necessary for adhesion strength, but engagement of both receptor types aids in appropriate mechanotransduction. Additionally, it was found that surfaces functionalized with both ligand types were able to scavenge a larger number of cells from flow, and to do so at a faster rate, compared to surfaces functionalized with only integrin- or syndecan-binding ligands. These results show that interfaces functionalized with both integrin- and syndecan-binding ligands regulate a significant range of biophysical cell behaviors in response to shear stress.

Substrate-enzyme affinity-based surface modification strategy for endothelial cell-specific binding under shear stress

Establishing an endothelial cell (EC) monolayer on top of the blood contacting surface of grafts is considered to be a promising approach for creating a hemocompatible surface. Here we utilized the high affinity interactions between the EC plasma membrane expressed enzyme called endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) and its corresponding substrate big Endothelin-1 (bigET-1) to engineer an EC-specific binding surface. Since enzymatic cleavage of substrates require physical interaction between the enzyme and its corresponding substrate, it was hypothesized that a surface with chemically immobilized synthetic bigET-1 will preferentially attract ECs over other types of cells found in vascular system such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). First, the expression of ECE-1 was significantly higher in ECs, and ECs processed synthetic bigET-1 to produce ET-1 in a cell number-dependent manner. Such interaction between ECs and synthetic bigET-1 was also detectible in blood. Next, vinyl-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were established, oxidized and activated on a glass substrate as a model to immobilize synthetic bigET-1 via amide bonds. The ECs cultured on the synthetic bigET-1-immobilized surface processed larger amount of synthetic bigET-1 to produce ET-1 compared to VSMCs (102.9±5.13 vs. 9.75±0.74 pg/ml). The number of ECs bound to the synthetic bigET-1-immobilized surface during 1 h of shearing (5dyne/cm2) was approximately 3-fold higher than that of VSMCs (46.25±12.61 vs. 15.25±3.69 cells/100×HPF). EC-specific binding of synthetic bigET-1-immobilized surface over a surface modified with collagen, a common substance for cell adhesion, was also observed. The present study demonstrated that using the substrate-enzyme affinity (SEA) of cell type-specific enzyme and its corresponding substrate can be an effective method to engineer a surface preferentially binds specific type of cells. This novel strategy might open a new route toward rapid endothelialization under dynamic conditions supporting the long-term patency of cardiovascular implants.

Shear dependent red blood cell adhesion in microscale flow

Non-adherence and deformability are the key intrinsic biomechanical features of the red blood cell (RBC), which allow it to tightly squeeze and pass through even the narrowest of microcirculatory networks. Blockage of microcirculatory flow, also known as vaso-occlusion, is a consequence of abnormal cellular adhesion to the vascular endothelium. In sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited anaemia, even though RBCs have been shown to be heterogeneous in adhesiveness and deformability, this has not been studied in the context of physiologically relevant dynamic shear gradients at the microscale. We developed a microfluidic system that simulates physiologically relevant shear gradients of microcirculatory blood flow at a constant single volumetric flow rate. Using this system, shear dependent adhesion of RBCs from 28 subjects with SCD and from 11 healthy subjects was investigated using vascular endothelial protein functionalized microchannels. We defined a new term, RBC Shear Gradient Microfluidic Adhesion (SiGMA) index to assess shear dependent RBC adhesion in a subject-specific manner. We have shown for the first time that shear dependent adhesion of RBCs is heterogeneous in a microfluidic flow model, which correlates clinically with inflammatory markers and iron overload in subjects with SCD. This study reveals the complex dynamic interactions between RBC-mediated microcirculatory occlusion and clinical outcomes in SCD. These interactions may also be relevant to other microcirculatory disorders and microvascular diseases.

Design and Applications of Cell-Selective Surfaces and Interfaces

Tissue regeneration involves versatile types of cells. The accumulation and disorganized behaviors of undesired cells impair the natural healing process, leading to uncontrolled immune response, restenosis, and/or fibrosis. Cell-selective surfaces and interfaces can have specific and positive effects on desired types of cells, allowing tissue regeneration with restored structures and functions. This review outlines the importance of surfaces and interfaces of biomaterials with cell-selective properties. The chemical and biological cues including peptides, antibodies, and other molecules, physical cues such as topography and elasticity, and physiological cues referring mainly to interactions between cells-cells and cell-chemokines or cytokines are effective modulators for achieving cell selectivity upon being applied into the design of biomaterials. Cell-selective biomaterials have also shown practical significance in tissue regeneration, in particular for endothelialization, nerve regeneration, capture of stem cells, and regeneration of tissues of multiple structures and functions.

Application of Heparin/Collagen-REDV Selective Active Interface on ePTFE Films to Enhance Endothelialization and Anticoagulation

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) prosthetic valves have been widely used in clinical applications in Asian countries. However, these valves still have limits with regard to thrombosis, neointimal hyperplasia, restenosis, and valvar vegetation. The achievement of in situ endothelialization on implant materials is a promising way to overcome those limits. Here, heparin/collagen multilayers were fabricated on ePTFE films via a layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technique, and then, the endothelial cell (EC) adhesive peptide sequence Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (REDV) was immobilized on the multilayers. After modification with the heparin/collagen multilayers with or without REDV peptide, less platelet activation and aggregation were observed, the blood coagulation time was increased, and the hemolysis rate was decreased compared to that on pristine ePTFE films. The REDV-functionalized ePTFE films positively impacted early EC adhesion, later cell proliferation and cell activity. The EC barrier was confirmed to be successfully achieved on the functionalized ePTFE film surface in vitro. The successful assembly of the REDV-functionalized heparin/collagen multilayer on ePTFE films improved the blood compatibility, anticoagulant properties, and cell compatibility of the films in vitro, and thus, represents a candidate approach for applications requiring quick in situ endothelialization in vivo.

Circular-shaped microfluidic device to study the effect of shear stress on cellular orientation

Understanding the effects of shear stress on mammalian cells is a crucial factor for understanding a number of biological processes and diseases. Here, we show the development of a circular-shaped microfluidic device for the facile generation of shear stress gradients. With this microfluidic device, the effect of shear stress on orientation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was studied. This microfluidic device, which enables to control the alignment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells within a microchannel, can be a valuable tool to mimic blood vessels.

Micropatterned immobilization of membrane-mimicking polymer and peptides for regulation of cell behaviors in vitro

The Ti-PDA-M/R(P) biomimetic micropattern was successfully fabricated with PMMPC-HD and GREDVY. The Ti-PDA-M/R(P) micropattern can regulate EC morphology, orientation and functions, and inhibit platelet adhesion and proliferation of SMCs.

Organ-On-A-Chip Platforms: A Convergence of Advanced Materials, Cells, and Microscale Technologies

Significant advances in biomaterials, stem cell biology, and microscale technologies have enabled the fabrication of biologically relevant tissues and organs. Such tissues and organs, referred to as organ-on-a-chip (OOC) platforms, have emerged as a powerful tool in tissue analysis and disease modeling for biological and pharmacological applications. A variety of biomaterials are used in tissue fabrication providing multiple biological, structural, and mechanical cues in the regulation of cell behavior and tissue morphogenesis. Cells derived from humans enable the fabrication of personalized OOC platforms. Microscale technologies are specifically helpful in providing physiological microenvironments for tissues and organs. In this review, biomaterials, cells, and microscale technologies are described as essential components to construct OOC platforms. The latest developments in OOC platforms (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, cardiac, cancer, lung, skin, bone, and brain) are then discussed as functional tools in simulating human physiology and metabolism. Future perspectives and major challenges in the development of OOC platforms toward accelerating clinical studies of drug discovery are finally highlighted.

Suspension-based differentiation of adult mesenchymal stem cells toward chondrogenic lineage

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are derived from bone marrow and have the ability to differentiate into cartilage and other mesenchymal cell types found throughout the body. Traditionally, the differentiation of hMSCs toward chondrocytes occurs through a combination of pelleted static cell culture and chemical stimuli. As an alternative to these protocols, we developed an in vitro flow through microfluidic method to induce the differentiation of hMSCs into chondrocytes. Suspensions of unattached hMSCs were exposed to a constant shear flow over a period of 20 minutes, which promoted phenotypic and gene expression changes toward the chondrogenic lineage. These internal and external changes of chondrogenic differentiation were then observed over 3 weeks later in culture, as confirmed through fluorescent immunocytochemical staining and real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The increased concentration of Type II collagen on the surface of shear stimulated hMSCs with the upregulation of MAPK1 and SOX9 demonstrated the capabilities of our approach to induce sustained differentiation. In conclusion, our shear stimulation method, in combination with chemical stimuli, illustrates enhanced differentiation of hMSCs toward the chondrogenic lineage.

In situ Endothelialization: Bioengineering Considerations to Translation

Improving patency rates of current cardiovascular implants remains a major challenge. It is widely accepted that regeneration of a healthy endothelium layer on biomaterials could yield the perfect blood-contacting surface. Earlier efforts in pre-seeding endothelial cells in vitro demonstrated success in enhancing patency, but translation to the clinic is largely hampered due to its impracticality. In situ endothelialization, which aims to create biomaterial surfaces capable of self-endothelializing upon implantation, appears to be an extremely promising solution, particularly with the utilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Nevertheless, controlling cell behavior in situ using immobilized biomolecules or physical patterning can be complex, thus warranting careful consideration. This review aims to provide valuable insight into the rationale and recent developments in biomaterial strategies to enhance in situ endothelialization. In particular, a discussion on the important bio-/nanoengineering considerations and lessons learnt from clinical trials are presented to aid the future translation of this exciting paradigm.

Recombinant Technology in the Development of Materials and Systems for Soft-Tissue Repair

The field of biomedicine is constantly investing significant research efforts in order to gain a more in-depth understanding of the mechanisms that govern the function of body compartments and to develop creative solutions for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. The main overall goal is to develop relatively simple systems that are able to mimic naturally occurring constructs and can therefore be used in regenerative medicine. Recombinant technology, which is widely used to obtain new tailored synthetic genes that express polymeric protein-based structures, now offers a broad range of advantages for that purpose by permitting the tuning of biological and mechanical properties depending on the intended application while simultaneously ensuring adequate biocompatibility and biodegradability of the scaffold formed by the polymers. This Progress Report is focused on recombinant protein-based materials that resemble naturally occurring proteins of interest for use in soft tissue repair. An overview of recombinant biomaterials derived from elastin, silk, collagen and resilin is given, along with a description of their characteristics and suggested applications. Current endeavors in this field are continuously providing more-improved materials in comparison with conventional ones. As such, a great effort is being made to put these materials through clinical trials in order to favor their future use.

The fabrication of double layer tubular vascular tissue engineering scaffold via coaxial electrospinning and its 3D cell coculture

A continuous electrospinning technique was applied to fabricate double layer tubular tissue engineering vascular graft (TEVG) scaffold. The luminal layer was made from poly(ɛ-caprolac-tone)(PCL) ultrafine fibers via common single axial electrospinning followed by the outer layer of core-shell structured nanofibers via coaxial electrospinning. For preparing the outer layernano-fibers, the PCL was electrospun into the shell and both bovine serum albumin (BSA) and tetrapeptide val-gal-pro-gly (VAPG) were encapsulated into the core. The core-shell structure in the outer layer fibers was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The in vitro release tests exhibited the sustainable release behavior of BSA and VAPG so that they provided a better cell growth environment in the interior of tubular scaffold wall. The in vitro culture of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) demonstrated their potential to penetrate into the scaffold wall for the 3D cell culture. Subsequently, 3D cell coculture was conducted. First, SMCs were seeded on the luminal surface of the scaffold and cultured for 5 days, and then endothelial cells (ECs) were also seeded on the luminal surface and cocultured with SMCs for another 2 days. After stained with antibodies, 3D cell distribution on the scaffold was revealed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) where ECs were mainly located on the luminal surface whereas SMCs penetrated into the surface and distributed inside the scaffold wall. This double layer tubular scaffold with 3D cell distribution showed the promise to develop it into a novel TEVG for clinical trials in the near future.

Differential cell adhesion of breast cancer stem cells on biomaterial substrate with nanotopographical cues

Cancer stem cells are speculated to have the capability of self-renewal and re-establishment of tumor heterogeneity, possibly involved in the potential relapse of cancer. CD44+CD24-/lowESA+ cells have been reported to possess tumorigenic properties, and these biomarkers are thought to be highly expressed in breast cancer stem cells. Cell behavior can be influenced by biomolecular and topographical cues in the natural microenvironment. We hypothesized that different cell populations in breast cancer tissue exhibit different adhesion characteristics on substrates with nanotopography. Adhesion characterizations were performed using human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC), breast cancer cell line MCF7 and primary invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) cells obtained from patients' samples, on micro- and nano-patterned poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) films. Topography demonstrated a significant effect on cell adhesion, and the effect was cell type dependent. Cells showed elongation morphology on gratings. The CD44+CD24-/lowESA+ subpopulation in MCF7 and IDC cells showed preferential adhesion on 350-nm gratings. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 350-nm gratings captured a significantly higher percentage of CD44+CD24- in MCF7. A slightly higher percentage of CD44+CD24-/lowESA+ was captured on the 350-nm gratings, although no significant difference was observed in the CD44+CD24-ESA+ in IDC cells across patterns. Taken together, the study demonstrated that the cancer stem cell subpopulation could be enriched using different nanopatterns. The enriched population could subsequently aid in the isolation and characterization of cancer stem cells.

An Integrated Platform for Isolation, Processing, and Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomic Profiling of Rare Cells in Whole Blood

Isolation and molecular characterization of rare cells (e.g. circulating tumor and stem cells) within biological fluids and tissues has significant potential in clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine. The present work describes an integrated platform of sample procurement, preparation, and analysis for deep proteomic profiling of rare cells in blood. Microfluidic magnetophoretic isolation of target cells spiked into 1 ml of blood at the level of 1000-2000 cells/ml, followed by focused acoustics-assisted sample preparation has been coupled with one-dimensional PLOT-LC-MS methodology. The resulting zeptomole detection sensitivity enabled identification of ∼4000 proteins with injection of the equivalent of only 100-200 cells per analysis. The characterization of rare cells in limited volumes of physiological fluids is shown by the isolation and quantitative proteomic profiling of first MCF-7 cells spiked into whole blood as a model system and then two CD133+ endothelial progenitor and hematopoietic cells in whole blood from volunteers.

Fundamentals and application of magnetic particles in cell isolation and enrichment: a review

Magnetic sorting using magnetic beads has become a routine methodology for the separation of key cell populations from biological suspensions. Due to the inherent ability of magnets to provide forces at a distance, magnetic cell manipulation is now a standardized process step in numerous processes in tissue engineering, medicine, and in fundamental biological research. Herein we review the current status of magnetic particles to enable isolation and separation of cells, with a strong focus on the fundamental governing physical phenomena, properties and syntheses of magnetic particles and on current applications of magnet-based cell separation in laboratory and clinical settings. We highlight the contribution of cell separation to biomedical research and medicine and detail modern cell-separation methods (both magnetic and non-magnetic). In addition to a review of the current state-of-the-art in magnet-based cell sorting, we discuss current challenges and available opportunities for further research, development and commercialization of magnetic particle-based cell-separation systems.

Rapid in situ endothelialization of a small diameter vascular graft with catalytic nitric oxide generation and promoted endothelial cell adhesion

Rapidin situendothelialization of a small diameter vascular graft with catalytic nitric oxide generation and promoted endothelial cell adhesion.

Microfluidic capture of endothelial colony-forming cells from human adult peripheral blood: phenotypic and functional validation in vivo

INTRODUCTION

Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are endothelial progenitors that circulate in peripheral blood and are currently the subject of intensive investigation due to their therapeutic potential. However, in adults, ECFCs comprise a very small subset among circulating cells, which makes their isolation a challenge.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Currently, the standard method for ECFC isolation relies on the separation of mononuclear cells and erythrocyte lysis, steps that are time consuming and known to increase cell loss. Alternatively, we previously developed a novel disposable microfluidic platform containing antibody-functionalized degradable hydrogel coatings that is ideally suited for capturing low-abundance circulating cells from unprocessed blood. In this study, we reasoned that this microfluidic approach could effectively isolate rare ECFCs by virtue of their CD34 expression.

RESULTS

We conducted preclinical experiments with peripheral blood from four adult volunteers and demonstrated that the actual microfluidic capture of circulating CD34(+) cells from unprocessed blood was compatible with the subsequent differentiation of these cells into ECFCs. Moreover, the ECFC yield obtained with the microfluidic system was comparable to that of the standard method. Importantly, we unequivocally validated the phenotypical and functional properties of the captured ECFCs, including the ability to form microvascular networks following transplantation into immunodeficient mice.

DISCUSSION

We showed that the simplicity and versatility of our microfluidic system could be very instrumental for ECFC isolation while preserving their therapeutic potential. We anticipate our results will facilitate additional development of clinically suitable microfluidic devices by the vascular therapeutic and diagnostic industry.

Peptide REDV-modified polysaccharide hydrogel with endothelial cell selectivity for the promotion of angiogenesis

Rapid and controlled vascularization of engineered tissues remains one of the key limitations in thick tissue engineering. Although many studies have focused on improving the rapid vascularization through the immobilization of bioactive molecules, the competition in growth between endothelial cells (ECs) and other cell types is to some extent neglected. In this study, we developed a peptide GREDV-modified scaffold for selective adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) through the specific recognition of the REDV peptide and integrin α4 β1 . In vitro studies showed that GREDV-conjugated alginate (ALG-GREDV) improved HUVEC adhesion, migration and proliferation when compared with a non-modified group. Furthermore, ALG-GREDV exhibited a superior capability for promoting the proliferation and selective adhesion of HUVEC over that of other peptide (RGD and YIGSR) modified groups (ALG-Pep). In vivo angiogenic assays demonstrated that the ALG-GREDV scaffold induced an angiogenic potential by stimulating new vessel formation and showed the highest blood vessel density among all samples after 21 days of implanting (83.7 vessels/mm(2) ). More importantly, the blood vessel density in cambium fibrous tissue of ALG-GREDV was about 1.5 times greater than other ALG-Pep groups, indicating facilitation of ALG-GREDV on selective angiogenesis in vivo. These results demonstrated that REDV-conjugated alginate could be a useful scaffold for stimulating and inducing angiogenesis in tissue-engineered applications.

Vascular smooth muscle cell culture in microfluidic devices

This paper presents a microfluidic device enabling culture of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) where extracellular matrix coating, VSMC seeding, culture, and immunostaining are demonstrated in a tubing-free manner. By optimizing droplet volume differences between inlets and outlets of micro channels, VSMCs were evenly seeded into microfluidic devices. Furthermore, the effects of extracellular matrix (e.g., collagen, poly-l-Lysine (PLL), and fibronectin) on VSMC proliferation and phenotype expression were explored. As a platform technology, this microfluidic device may function as a new VSMC culture model enabling VSMC studies.

Advances in microfluidic cell separation and manipulation

Cellular separations are required in many contexts in biochemical and biomedical applications for the identification, isolation, and analysis of phenotypes or samples of interest. Microfluidics is uniquely suited for handling biological samples, and emerging technologies have become increasingly accessible tools for researchers and clinicians. Here, we review advances in the last few years in techniques for microfluidic cell separation and manipulation. Applications such as high-throughput cell and organism phenotypic screening, purification of heterogeneous stem cell populations, separation of blood components, and isolation of rare cells in patients highlight some of the areas in which these technologies show great potential. Continued advances in separation mechanisms and understanding of cellular systems will yield further improvements in the throughput, resolution, and robustness of techniques.

Generation of tissue constructs for cardiovascular regenerative medicine: from cell procurement to scaffold design

The ability of the human body to naturally recover from coronary heart disease is limited because cardiac cells are terminally differentiated, have low proliferation rates, and low turn-over rates. Cardiovascular tissue engineering offers the potential for production of cardiac tissue ex vivo, but is currently limited by several challenges: (i) Tissue engineering constructs require pure populations of seed cells, (ii) Fabrication of 3-D geometrical structures with features of the same length scales that exist in native tissue is non-trivial, and (iii) Cells require stimulation from the appropriate biological, electrical and mechanical factors. In this review, we summarize the current state of microfluidic techniques for enrichment of subpopulations of cells required for cardiovascular tissue engineering, which offer unique advantages over traditional plating and FACS/MACS-based enrichment. We then summarize modern techniques for producing tissue engineering scaffolds that mimic native cardiac tissue.

p38 signaling and receptor recycling events in a microfluidic endothelial cell adhesion assay

Adhesion-based microfluidic cell separation has proven to be very useful in applications ranging from cancer diagnostics to tissue engineering. This process involves functionalizing microchannel surfaces with a capture molecule. High specificity and purity capture can be achieved using this method. Despite these advances, little is known about the mechanisms that govern cell capture within these devices and their relationships to basic process parameters such as fluid shear stress and the presence of soluble factors. This work examines how the adhesion of human endothelial cells (ECs) is influenced by a soluble tetrapeptide, Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (REDV) and fluidic shear stress. The ability of these ECs to bind within microchannels coated with REDV is shown to be governed by shear- and soluble-factor mediated changes in p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase expression together with recycling of adhesion receptors from the endosome.

Adhesion of endothelial cells and endothelial progenitor cells on peptide-linked polymers in shear flow

The initial adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), cord blood endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), and human blood outgrowth endothelial cells (HBOECs) was studied under radial flow conditions. The surface of a variable shear-rate device was either coated with polymer films or covered by synthetic fibers. Spin-coating was applied to produce smooth polymer films, while fibrous scaffolds were generated by electrospinning. The polymer was composed of hexyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), and CGRGDS peptide. The peptide was incorporated into the polymer system by coupling to an acrylate-PEG-N-hydroxysuccinimide comonomer. A shear-rate-dependent increase of the attached cells with time was observed with all cell types. The adhesion of ECs increased on RGD-linked polymer surfaces compared to polymers without adhesive peptides. The number of attached ECFCs and HBOECs are significantly higher than that of HUVECs within the entire shear-rate range and surfaces examined, especially on RGD-linked polymers at low shear rates. Their superior adhesion ability of endothelial progenitor cells under flow conditions suggests they are a promising source for in vivo seeding of vascular grafts and shows the potential to be used for self-endothelialized implants.