Synthesis of bioinspired collagen/alginate/fibrin based hydrogels for soft tissue engineering

• Published in: Materials Science & Engineering C Vol. 91; pp. 236 - 246
• Main Authors: Montalbano, G., Toumpaniari, S., Popov, A., Duan, P., Chen, J., Dalgarno, K., Scott, W.E., Ferreira, A.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.10.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alginate; Alginates; Alginates - chemistry; Alginic acid; Alkaline phosphatase; Animals; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Biomimetics; Cell culture; Cell Line; Cell proliferation; Collagen; Collagen Type I - chemistry; Crosslinking; Diabetes mellitus; Extracellular matrix; Fibrin; Fibrin - chemistry; Fibroblasts; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Humans; Hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Insulin-Secreting Cells - cytology; Insulin-Secreting Cells - metabolism; Materials science; Materials Testing; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - cytology; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - metabolism; Mesenchyme; Mice; Microenvironments; Natural polymers; Organic chemistry; Pancreas; Polymers; Soft tissue engineering; Soft tissues; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; Stiffness; Therapeutic applications; Tissue Engineering; Tissues; Fibrin; Alginate; Soft tissue engineering; Hydrogels; Collagen
• ISSN: 0928-4931; 1873-0191
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.04.101

Hydrogels based on natural polymers offer a range of properties to mimic the native extracellular matrix, and provide microenvironments to preserve cellular function and encourage tissue formation. A tri-component hydrogel using collagen, alginate and fibrin (CAF) was developed and investigated at three collagen concentrations for application as a functional extracellular matrix analogue. Physical-chemical characterization of CAF hydrogels demonstrated a thermo-responsive crosslinking capacity at physiological conditions with stiffness similar to native soft tissues. CAF hydrogels were also assessed for cytocompatibility using L929 murine fibroblasts, pancreatic MIN6 β-cells and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs); and demonstrated good cell viability, proliferation and metabolic activity after 7 days of in vitro culture. CAF hydrogels, especially with 2.5% w/v collagen, increased alkaline phosphatase production in hMSCs indicating potential for the promotion of osteogenic activity. Moreover, CAF hydrogels also increased metabolic activity of MIN6 β-cells and promoted the reconstitution of spherical pseudoislets with sizes ranging between 50 and 150 μm at day 7, demonstrating potential in diabetic therapeutic applications. [Display omitted] •New hydrogel formulation based on Collagen, Alginate and Fibrin is bioinspired in native extracellular matrix•Hydrogels showed thermo-responsive capacity at physiological conditions with stiffness similar to native soft tissues•Enhanced osteogenic potential of human mesenchymal stem cells hMSCs at high collagen content•Hydrogels promoted large (50-150 μm) MIN6 β-cells aggregates, indicating formation of pseudo-islets•CAF hydrogels offer a tuneable microenvironment for potential pancreas tissue engineering and musculoskeletal applications