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artificial bone marrow
Credit: C. Lee-Thedieck
Researchers say they have developed artificial bone marrow analogs that can be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).
The team created macroporous hydrogel scaffolds that mimic the stem cell niche of the bone marrow.
When they introduced mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from actual bone marrow into the analogs, the MSCs promoted HSPC proliferation.
In fact, the MSCs preserved HSPC stemness more effectively in the analogs than in standard 2-dimensional cell culture systems.
Annamarija Raic, of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and her colleagues reported these results in Biomaterials.
The researchers noted that reproducing functional HSPCs in the lab has proven challenging. The cells cannot be cultured in vitro for a feasible period of time without differentiating.
So the team set out to create a culture system that mimics the important physical and biological parameters of the stem cell niche: the 3D architecture, the adhesive extracellular matrix, soluble factors, and the stromal cell compartment.
They used salt leaching technology to produce poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogel scaffolds that could soak cells into their pores. To biofunctionalize the scaffolds, the investigators added an RGD peptide carrying an acrylate moiety.
They then introduced 3 different cell types into the scaffolds—the human osteosarcoma cell line CAL72, MSCs from bone marrow, and MSCs from umbilical cord blood—to see which best supported the proliferation of CD34+ HSPCs isolated from cord blood.
Each of the cell types supported HSPC proliferation, but bone marrow MSCs were the most effective. The researchers therefore decided to use bone marrow MSCs when they compared their 3D scaffolds to a 2D culture system.
The bone marrow MSCs had a beneficial effect on HSPC proliferation in the 2D cell cultures. Over 4 days, HSPCs divided 1 to 2 times more often when they were cultured with bone marrow MSCs than without the cells.
In the 3D scaffolds, HSPC proliferation was comparable or slightly lower than that observed in the 2D cultures. However, the scaffolds had a higher percentage of CD34+ HSPCs after 4 days.
The investigators therefore concluded that their hydrogel scaffolds meet the basic requirements for creating artificial stem cell niches. 
artificial bone marrow
Credit: C. Lee-Thedieck
Researchers say they have developed artificial bone marrow analogs that can be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).
The team created macroporous hydrogel scaffolds that mimic the stem cell niche of the bone marrow.
When they introduced mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from actual bone marrow into the analogs, the MSCs promoted HSPC proliferation.
In fact, the MSCs preserved HSPC stemness more effectively in the analogs than in standard 2-dimensional cell culture systems.
Annamarija Raic, of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and her colleagues reported these results in Biomaterials.
The researchers noted that reproducing functional HSPCs in the lab has proven challenging. The cells cannot be cultured in vitro for a feasible period of time without differentiating.
So the team set out to create a culture system that mimics the important physical and biological parameters of the stem cell niche: the 3D architecture, the adhesive extracellular matrix, soluble factors, and the stromal cell compartment.
They used salt leaching technology to produce poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogel scaffolds that could soak cells into their pores. To biofunctionalize the scaffolds, the investigators added an RGD peptide carrying an acrylate moiety.
They then introduced 3 different cell types into the scaffolds—the human osteosarcoma cell line CAL72, MSCs from bone marrow, and MSCs from umbilical cord blood—to see which best supported the proliferation of CD34+ HSPCs isolated from cord blood.
Each of the cell types supported HSPC proliferation, but bone marrow MSCs were the most effective. The researchers therefore decided to use bone marrow MSCs when they compared their 3D scaffolds to a 2D culture system.
The bone marrow MSCs had a beneficial effect on HSPC proliferation in the 2D cell cultures. Over 4 days, HSPCs divided 1 to 2 times more often when they were cultured with bone marrow MSCs than without the cells.
In the 3D scaffolds, HSPC proliferation was comparable or slightly lower than that observed in the 2D cultures. However, the scaffolds had a higher percentage of CD34+ HSPCs after 4 days.
The investigators therefore concluded that their hydrogel scaffolds meet the basic requirements for creating artificial stem cell niches.
artificial bone marrow
Credit: C. Lee-Thedieck
Researchers say they have developed artificial bone marrow analogs that can be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).
The team created macroporous hydrogel scaffolds that mimic the stem cell niche of the bone marrow.
When they introduced mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from actual bone marrow into the analogs, the MSCs promoted HSPC proliferation.
In fact, the MSCs preserved HSPC stemness more effectively in the analogs than in standard 2-dimensional cell culture systems.
Annamarija Raic, of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and her colleagues reported these results in Biomaterials.
The researchers noted that reproducing functional HSPCs in the lab has proven challenging. The cells cannot be cultured in vitro for a feasible period of time without differentiating.
So the team set out to create a culture system that mimics the important physical and biological parameters of the stem cell niche: the 3D architecture, the adhesive extracellular matrix, soluble factors, and the stromal cell compartment.
They used salt leaching technology to produce poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogel scaffolds that could soak cells into their pores. To biofunctionalize the scaffolds, the investigators added an RGD peptide carrying an acrylate moiety.
They then introduced 3 different cell types into the scaffolds—the human osteosarcoma cell line CAL72, MSCs from bone marrow, and MSCs from umbilical cord blood—to see which best supported the proliferation of CD34+ HSPCs isolated from cord blood.
Each of the cell types supported HSPC proliferation, but bone marrow MSCs were the most effective. The researchers therefore decided to use bone marrow MSCs when they compared their 3D scaffolds to a 2D culture system.
The bone marrow MSCs had a beneficial effect on HSPC proliferation in the 2D cell cultures. Over 4 days, HSPCs divided 1 to 2 times more often when they were cultured with bone marrow MSCs than without the cells.
In the 3D scaffolds, HSPC proliferation was comparable or slightly lower than that observed in the 2D cultures. However, the scaffolds had a higher percentage of CD34+ HSPCs after 4 days.
The investigators therefore concluded that their hydrogel scaffolds meet the basic requirements for creating artificial stem cell niches.