abstract
The use of cells as building blocks for tissue engineering purposes has been a matter of research in the recent years. Still, the fabrication of complex-shaped 3D-like constructs using living-based materials is hampered through the difficulty in recapitulating the mechanical properties of the native tissues. In an attempt to develop robust tissue-like constructs, it is herein proposed the fabrication of complex-shaped magnetic cell sheets (CSs) with improved mechanical properties for bone TE. Hence, magnetic CSs with versatile shapes and enhanced mechanical performance are fabricated using a pre-osteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1) through an universal approach that relies on the design of the substrate, cell density and magnetic force. Results show that such magnetic CSs exhibit a Young's modulus similar to those encountered in the soft tissues. The construction of stratified CSs is also explored using MC3T3-E1 and adipose derived stromal cells (ASCs). The role of the pre-osteoblast cell line on ASCs osteogenesis is herein investigated for the first time in layered scaffold-free structures. After 21 days, the level of osteogenic markers in the heterotypic CS (MC3T3-E1:ASCs) is significantly higher than in the homotypic one (ASCs:ASCs), even in the absence of osteogenic differentiation factors. These evidences open new prospects for the creation of mechanically robust, complex, higher-ordered and completely functional 3D cell-based materials that better resemble the native environment of in vivo tissues. (c) 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
IN-VITRO; STEM-CELLS; SCAFFOLD; DIFFERENTIATION; NANOPARTICLES; BIOMATERIALS; FORCE; CONSTRUCTION; REGENERATION; CARTILAGE
subject category
Engineering; Materials Science
authors
Santos, LF; Silva, AS; Mano, JF
our authors
Ana Sofia Matias da Silva
Researcher
João Mano
Full professorProjects
Colonizacao 3D de celulas em hidrogeis de origem marinha atraves de padronizacao por microcanais para regeneracao ossea (PROMENADE)
Bioengineered autonomous cell-biomaterials devices for generating humanised micro- tissues for regenerative medicine (ATLAS)
acknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/50011/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC and when appropriate co-financed by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and PROMENADE (Ref. PTDC/BTM-MAT/29830/2017). This work was also sponsored by the project ATLAS (ref.ERC-2014-ADG-669858) and through the doctoral grant SFRH/BD/141523/2018 (Lucia F. Santos).