Photosymbiotic tissue engineering and regeneration

Abstract

As the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine progresses, the possibility for artificial organs to restore normal tissue functions seems to become more feasible. However, a major challenge in the long-term culture of the engineered tissues is the lack of adequate oxygenation. The photosynthetic supply of oxygen (O2) for tissues and organs using photoautotrophic microorganisms has been explored recently in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The biofabrication of photosymbiotic scaffolds using biomaterials, photosynthetic microorganisms, and human cells has shown constant generation of O2 in response to light illumination while avoiding hypoxic conditions. This emerging strategy of photosymbiotic oxygenation is potentially an attractive approach to overcome the need of adequate oxygenation in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This Perspective aims to present an overview on the applications of photoautotrophic microorganism-enabled oxygenation strategies for overcoming hypoxia-related challenges in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Building Blood Vessel Chips with Enhanced Physiological Relevance

“…[ 53,281–284 ] Compared to the 2D approach, the 3D approach may be more flexible in constructing multiple distinct vessels/tubules, recruiting tissue‐specific auxiliary cells, and mimicking the 3D water‐containing, cell‐remodelable ECM. [ 42,285,286 ] We briefly review several 3D hydrogel‐enabled blood vessel chips for recapitulating the functional tubule unit and the solute transport in the kidney.…”

Oxygen-Generating Biomaterials for Translational Bone Regenerative Engineering

“…Given the existence of algae's symbiotic relationship with a wide range of eukaryotic hosts including animals, the use of photosynthetic algae as oxygen-releasing materials represents an attractive option and has been explored both in vitro and in vivo for tissue engineering and regeneration recently. 192 Many researchers report that the microalgae scaffold could significantly accelerate the chronic wound closure by alleviating local hypoxia, increasing angiogenesis, and promoting ECM synthesis. 193 Numerous different microalgae such as Chlorella sorokiniana (C. sorokiniana), Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii), Synechococcus elongatus, and Chlorococcum littorale have been explored for tissue engineering and regeneration, which has been reported both in vitro and in vivo.…”

“…193 Numerous different microalgae such as Chlorella sorokiniana (C. sorokiniana), Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii), Synechococcus elongatus, and Chlorococcum littorale have been explored for tissue engineering and regeneration, which has been reported both in vitro and in vivo. 192,194 Among all the microalgae investigated, C. reinhardtii in particular has shown the most success as an oxygen-releasing algae. 195 In 2021, the first phase-1 human clinical trial of dermal regeneration in eight patients with full-thickness skin wounds using a microalgae-based photosynthetic scaffold was evaluated.…”

“…sorokiniana), Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii), Synechococcus elongatus, and Chlorococcum littorale have been explored for tissue engineering and regeneration, which has been reported both in vitro and in vivo . , Among all the microalgae investigated, C. reinhardtii in particular has shown the most success as an oxygen-releasing algae .…”

“…Living algae, as a large group of photosynthetic organisms, are rich in multiple photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll, which could sustainably convert carbon dioxide into oxygen under light stimuli. Given the existence of algae’s symbiotic relationship with a wide range of eukaryotic hosts including animals, the use of photosynthetic algae as oxygen-releasing materials represents an attractive option and has been explored both in vitro and in vivo for tissue engineering and regeneration recently . Many researchers report that the microalgae scaffold could significantly accelerate the chronic wound closure by alleviating local hypoxia, increasing angiogenesis, and promoting ECM synthesis …”