The effect of enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels on smooth muscle cell phenotype.

The formation of scar tissue due to dedifferentiation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is one of the major issues faced when engineering bladder tissue. Furthermore, cell sources for regenerating the SMC layer are also limiting. Here we explore if human mesenchymal stem cells (MCSs), cultured in enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel scaffolds can be differentiated into SMC-like cells. We explored the degree to which a less synthetic SMC phenotype can be achieved when primary human SMCs are cultured within these scaffolds, It was observed that when both MSCs and SMCs are cultured in the PEG hydrogel scaffolds, but not on traditional tissue culture plastic, they up-regulate markers associated with the less synthetic SMC phenotype, decreased expression of alpha(5) integrin and THY-1, and increased expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) and myosin. Furthermore, we show that MSCs and SMCs cultured in the PEG hydrogels are able to proliferate and express matrix metalloproteinases for up to 21d in culture, the duration of the study. This study addresses the importance of the cellular microenvironment on cell fate, and proposes synthetic instructive biomaterials as a means to direct cell differentiation and circumvent scar tissue formation during bladder reconstruction.

Synthetic hydrogel matrices for guided bladder tissue regeneration.

Tissue engineering aims to provide a temporary scaffold for repair at the site of injury or disease that is able to support cell attachment and growth while synthesis of matrix proteins and reorganization take place. Although relatively successful, bladder tissue engineering suffers from the formation of scar tissue at the scaffold implant site partly due to the phenotypic switch of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a quiescent contractile phenotype to a synthetic proliferative phenotype, known as myofibroblast. We hypothesize that culturing human SMCs in enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) hydrogels modified with integrin-binding peptides, and in co-culture with human urothelial cells (UCs), will offer some insight as to the required environment for their subsequent differentiation into quiescent SMCs. We have established protocols for isolation, culture, and characterization of human bladder UCs, SMCs, and fibroblasts and investigated co-culture conditions for SMCs and UCs. The optimal PEG hydrogel properties, promoting growth of these cells, have been investigated by varying the amounts of cell adhesion peptide, PEG, and crosslinker and examined using light and fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, the cell organization within and on top of gels 14 days post seeding has been examined by histology and immunohistochemistry. We have investigated a co-culture model for UCs and SMCs integrated into PEG hydrogels, mimicking a section of the bladder wall for reconstructive purposes that also could contribute to the understanding of the underlying basic mechanisms of SMC differentiation.

Polarized protein membrane for high cell seeding efficiency.

A new type of scaffold for tissue engineering was developed to give enhanced cell seeding in three dimensions. A gradient of either collagen or fibrin protein was prepared, supported by a knitted poly(ethylene terephtalate) PET fabric. The membranes were, after hydrolysis and acetic acid wash, submerged in a protein solution for adsorption followed by immersion into a gelling agent. The immediate contact between the protein solution held by the fabric and the gelling agent resulted in a dense, fibrous protein network with pore sizes around 0.5 microm at the surface, and larger pores of 10-50 microm size throughout the interior of the fabric as observed by scanning electron microscopy. By separating the fabric double layers holding this network, a gradient porosity membrane was produced. To evaluate the fractions of cells trapped in the matrix upon seeding, i.e. the seeding efficiency, 500 microl 3T3 fibroblasts cell suspension containing one million cells was seeded by filtering through the gradient protein membrane. For both the collagen and fibrin membranes, the seeding efficiency was approximately 93%, which was significantly higher than that of 28% from the corresponding PET fabric without protein immobilization. Attempt to seed cells from the dense side of the protein networks resulted in no cell penetration into the scaffold. Histology on subsequent culture of the cells in the scaffold demonstrated viability and proliferation in three dimensions throughout the scaffold. This new and simple way of producing scaffolds play an important role when the cells are precious or scarce and cell seeding in three dimensions is important.