Esther de Mercurio (Berlin, DE), Dr. Aaron Xerach Herrera Martin (Berlin, DE), Prof. Dr. Ansgar Petersen (Berlin, DE)
Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)
The geometric properties of scaffold biomaterials, such as pore size and related surface curvature, have been shown to impact cell behavior with relevance for tissue regeneration. Recent studies suggest that substrates with distinct curvatures have the ability to control cell migration and osteogenic differentiation of bone progenitors. However, systematic investigations into the potential of surface curvature for guiding cell fate decision have been limited to quasi-2D topographic substrates [1-2].
We here report on the development of a microscaffold with full 3D architecture to guide cell behaviour and progenitor cell differentiation for enhancing tissue regeneration, particularly in bone. To understand what architectural elements are suitable to promote cell migration and subsequent differentiation, we designed cell culture chips with a library of 3D features for a cell screening approach. Chips were produced via 2-Photon Polymerization using a biocompatible resin.
We subsequently analyzed migration of fluorescently labeled hdFs and hMSCs from time-laps recordings and the spatial organization of cells from 3D confocal image stacks. Cell guidance was achieved on convex routes while tissue growth was found to be pronounced in distinct concave niches. The obtained information is currently being used to design cell-guiding microscaffolds with diameters of a few 100s of µms.
Our approach combines architecture-driven tissue regeneration with a minimally invasive application procedure that has the ability to fill complex tissue voids through injection rather than using implantable materials with predefined shapes that require open surgery. We anticipate that our findings may pave the way for the development of new injectable biomaterials that can promote bone tissue regeneration purely by the implemented architecture.
References
[1] Werner et al., Adv. Sci. 2016; DOI: 10.1002/advs.201600347
[2] Werner et al., J R Soc. Interface. 2018; DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0162