It is vital to utilize physicochemical properties to control cell behavior for the development of biomaterials in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This also applies to osteogenesis, also known as ossification or bone formation. One way to evaluate osteogenesis is to use stem cells that can be controlled in this way, known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are particularly suitable because of their capacity to differentiate into different cell types, including adipogenic (fat), chondrogenic (cartilage), and osteogenic (bone) cells. Furthermore, differentiation) and their low immunogenic response by allogeneic hosts. In the body, the connective tissue (the extracellular matrix, ECM) of most tissues, such as bone, tendon, and nerve, has anisotropic architectures consisting of aligned nano- and microstructures. MSCs can perceive the physical or topographical signals of the ECM and respond to these signals, adjusting their adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation depending on the influences. To better understand the relevant topographical characteristics, it is therefore essential to systematically change a parameter to determine its influence on cell behavior. Using the BiomACS high-throughput screening platform, the optimal surface structure combinations for osteogenesis of human bone marrow-derived MSCs were investigated and identified. This method is time- and cost-efficient and minimizes systematic or methodological errors. The BiomACS platform facilitates understanding of the relationships between the biointerface and biological behavior, and the screening capability offers great potential for designing biomaterials that promote osteogenesis.
Publications:
- Yang, L. Ge. P. van Rijn, “ Synergistic Effect of Cell-Derived Extracellular Matrices and Topography on Osteogenesis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells ”, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020 , 12, 23, 25591–25603. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c05012
- Yang, L. Ge, Q. Zhou, K. Jurczak, P. van Rijn, ” Decoupling amplitude and wavelength of anisotropic topography and the influence on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells using a high-throughput screening approach “, ACS Appl. Bio Mater. 2020 , 3 (6), 3690-3697. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.0c00330
- Yang, L. Ge, Q. Zhou, T. Mokabber, Y. Pei, R. Bron, P. van Rijn* ” Biomimetic Multiscale Hierarchical Topography Enhances Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells ” Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2020 , 7, 2000385. https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202000385
- L. Yang, Q. Gao, L. Ge, Q. Zhou, E. M Warszawik, R. Bron, K. W. Chiu Lai, P. van Rijn, ” Topography induced stiffness alteration of stem cells influences osteogenic differentiation “, Biomater. Sci. , 2020 , 8, 2638-2652. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0BM00264J