How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate

Argentiere, Simona; Siciliano, P.; Blasi, Laura

doi:10.3390/polym13193216

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…In any case, hydrogel culture is expected to complete the cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, migration, signal transduction, cell differentiation, and morphogenesis of the physical model [84]. Its development is critical to achieve more accurate agents discovered through cell and sensitivity analysis and to investigate the growth and development of cells and tissues in vivo and in vitro mechanisms [85][86][87]. Organoids and microplatforms based on water coagulation machines aid in the bridgebuilding between models and clinical practice [88].…”

Section: In Vitro Cell Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

Potential application of hydrogel to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis

2022

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. This disorder may cause progressive and permanent impairment, placing significant physical and psychological strain on sufferers. Each progress in MS therapy marks a significant advancement in neurological research. Hydrogels can serve as a scaffold with high water content, high expansibility, and biocompatibility to improve MS cell proliferation in vitro and therapeutic drug delivery to cells in vivo. Hydrogels may also be utilized as biosensors to detect MS-related proteins. Recent research has employed hydrogels as an adjuvant imaging agent in immunohistochemistry assays. Following an overview of the development and use of hydrogels in MS diagnostic and therapy, this review discussed hydrogel’s advantages and future opportunities in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. Graphical abstract

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Section: In Vitro Cell Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

Potential application of hydrogel to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis

2022

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“…Those techniques can be in general categorized into those relying (i) on the use of nonadhesive substrates promoting cell–cell interactions and resulting in aggregation of cells into spheroids without an external hydrogel support, or (ii) on embedding the cells within the ECM-like hydrogel matrix, which provides the external support and leads to more physiological cell and tissue morphologies. The most recent developments in the 3D cell culture succeeded in integration of the two approaches via the use of microscopic hydrogel (microgel) scaffolds capable of providing both a controlled degree of confinement as well as highly biomimetic local 3D microenvironment, − allowing for generation of reproducible, yet biologically relevant microtissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microfluidic Formulation of Topological Hydrogels for Microtissue Engineering

et al. 2022

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Microfluidics has recently emerged as a powerful tool in generation of submillimeter-sized cell aggregates capable of performing tissue-specific functions, so-called microtissues, for applications in drug testing, regenerative medicine, and cell therapies. In this work, we review the most recent advances in the field, with particular focus on the formulation of cell-encapsulating microgels of small "dimensionalities": "0D" (particles), "1D" (fibers), "2D" (sheets), etc., and with nontrivial internal topologies, typically consisting of multiple compartments loaded with different types of cells and/or biopolymers. Such structures, which we refer to as topological hydrogels or topological microgels (examples including core− shell or Janus microbeads and microfibers, hollow or porous microstructures, or granular hydrogels) can be precisely tailored with high reproducibility and throughput by using microfluidics and used to provide controlled "initial conditions" for cell proliferation and maturation into functional tissue-like microstructures. Microfluidic methods of formulation of topological biomaterials have enabled significant progress in engineering of miniature tissues and organs, such as pancreas, liver, muscle, bone, heart, neural tissue, or vasculature, as well as in fabrication of tailored microenvironments for stem-cell expansion and differentiation, or in cancer modeling, including generation of vascularized tumors for personalized drug testing. We review the available microfluidic fabrication methods by exploiting various cross-linking mechanisms and various routes toward compartmentalization and critically discuss the available tissue-specific applications. Finally, we list the remaining challenges such as simplification of the microfluidic workflow for its widespread use in biomedical research, bench-to-bedside transition including production upscaling, further in vivo validation, generation of more precise organ-like models, as well as incorporation of induced pluripotent stem cells as a step toward clinical applications.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[8,49] Heterotypic cells can be encapsulated at the core and shell to fulfill biomimetic functions of the microgels. [50,51] Janus and multicompartmentalized microgels, in addition, are promising platforms to generate and nurture multicellular segmented tissues. [34,52] Microgels can be assembled from a series of elementary building blocks, including nonbiological macromolecules, colloids, and biomolecules.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality

Zhu

Denduluri

et al. 2022

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The emerging applications of hydrogel materials at different length scales, in areas ranging from sustainability to health, have driven the progress in the design and manufacturing of microgels. Microgels can provide miniaturized, monodisperse, and regulatable compartments, which can be spatially separated or interconnected. These microscopic materials provide novel opportunities for generating biomimetic cell culture environments and are thus key to the advances of modern biomedical research. The evolution of the physical and chemical properties has, furthermore, highlighted the potentials of microgels in the context of materials science and bioengineering. This review describes the recent research progress in the fabrication, characterization, and applications of microgels generated from biomolecular building blocks. A key enabling technology allowing the tailoring of the properties of microgels is their synthesis through microfluidic technologies, and this paper highlights recent advances in these areas and their impact on expanding the physicochemical parameter space accessible using microgels. This review finally discusses the emerging roles that microgels play in liquid–liquid phase separation, micromechanics, biosensors, and regenerative medicine.

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How Microgels Can Improve the Impact of Organ-on-Chip and Microfluidic Devices for 3D Culture: Compartmentalization, Single Cell Encapsulation and Control on Cell Fate

Cited by 14 publications

References 61 publications

Potential application of hydrogel to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis

Potential application of hydrogel to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis

Microfluidic Formulation of Topological Hydrogels for Microtissue Engineering

Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality

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