Organ Weaving: Woven Threads and Sheets As a Step Towards a New Strategy for Artificial Organ Development

• Published in: Macromolecular bioscience Vol. 11; no. 11; pp. 1491 - 1498
• Main Authors: Liberski, Albert R., Delaney Jr, Joseph T., Schäfer, Hendrik, Perelaer, Jolke, Schubert, Ulrich S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 10.11.2011; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Alginates - chemistry; Alginates - metabolism; Alginates - pharmacology; Animals; Artificial Organs; Artificial tissues; Biocompatible Materials - chemical synthesis; Biocompatible Materials - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - drug effects; Edetic Acid - chemistry; fibers; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Glucuronic Acid - chemistry; Glucuronic Acid - metabolism; Glucuronic Acid - pharmacology; Hard surfacing; Hexuronic Acids - chemistry; Hexuronic Acids - metabolism; Hexuronic Acids - pharmacology; Humans; hydrogels; matrix; Mice; Organs; Polyesters - chemistry; Strategy; structure; Three dimensional; Tissue engineering; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry; Weaving
• ISSN: 1616-5187; 1616-5195; 1616-5195
• DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201100086

The concept of “organ weaving” is presented, a fabrication technique that can be an attractive option for the development of artificial tissues and organs. “Living threads” are created by immersing threads that are soaked in a CaCl2 solution into a sodium‐alginate‐loaded cell suspension bath, encapsulating the cells and creating a bio‐friendly, easily manageable starting material for building up larger scaffold structures. Such living threads have the advantage of being a particularly mild culturing medium for mammalian cells, protecting the cells during subsequent processing steps from dehydration and other rapid changes in the chemistry of the surrounding environment. Connecting different types of threads into 3D objects gives unique opportunities to address tissue engineering challenges. The new concept of “organ weaving”is presented. It forms an attractive option for the development of artificial tissues and organs. By immersing threads that are soaked in a calcium chloride solution into a sodium‐alginate‐loaded cell suspension bath, which encapsulates the cells, “living threads” are created that are bio‐friendly and easily manageable as starting materials for building up larger scaffold structures.