scholarly journals Applications of novel bioreactor technology to enhance the viability and function of cultured cells and tissues

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 20190090 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. W. Hoyle ◽  
L. A. Smith ◽  
R. J. Williams ◽  
S. A. Przyborski
Keyword(s):  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Tissue Slices ◽  
Cell Culture Techniques ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
Tissue Constructs ◽  
And Function

As the field of tissue engineering continues to advance rapidly, so too does the complexity of cell culture techniques used to generate in vitro tissue constructs, with the overall aim of mimicking the in vivo microenvironment. This complexity typically comes at a cost with regards to the size of the equipment required and associated expenses. We have developed a small, low-cost bioreactor system which overcomes some of the issues of typical bioreactor systems while retaining a suitable scale for the formation of complex tissues. Herein, we have tested this system with three cell populations/tissues: the culture of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, where an improved structure and basic metabolic function is seen; the culture of human pluripotent stem cells, in which the cultures can form more heterogeneous tissues resembling the in vivo teratoma and ex vivo liver tissue slices, in which improved maintenance of cellular viability is seen over the 3 days tested. This system has the flexibility to be used for a variety of further uses and has the potential to provide a more accessible alternative to current bioreactor technologies.

scholarly journals In Vitro Lung Models and Their Application to Study SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenesis and Disease

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 792
Author(s):  
Natalie Heinen ◽  
Mara Klöhn ◽  
Eike Steinmann ◽  
Stephanie Pfaender
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Cell Culture Techniques ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Cell Culture Systems ◽  
Drug Efficiency

SARS-CoV-2 has spread across the globe with an astonishing velocity and lethality that has put scientist and pharmaceutical companies worldwide on the spot to develop novel treatment options and reliable vaccination for billions of people. To combat its associated disease COVID-19 and potentially newly emerging coronaviruses, numerous pre-clinical cell culture techniques have progressively been used, which allow the study of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, basic replication mechanisms, and drug efficiency in the most authentic context. Hence, this review was designed to summarize and discuss currently used in vitro and ex vivo cell culture systems and will illustrate how these systems will help us to face the challenges imposed by the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

scholarly journals hPSC-Derived Enteric Ganglioids Model Human ENS Development and Function

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homa Majd ◽  
Ryan M Samuel ◽  
Jonathan T Ramirez ◽  
Ali Kalantari ◽  
Kevin Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Developmental Relationships ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays a central role in gut physiology and mediating the crosstalk between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other organs. The human ENS has remained elusive, highlighting the need for an in vitro modeling and mapping blueprint. Here we map out the developmental and functional features of the human ENS, by establishing robust and scalable 2D ENS cultures and 3D enteric ganglioids from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). These models recapitulate the remarkable neuronal and glial diversity found in primary tissue and enable comprehensive molecular analyses that uncover functional and developmental relationships within these lineages. As a salient example of the power of this system, we performed in-depth characterization of enteric nitrergic neurons (NO neurons) which are implicated in a wide range of GI motility disorders. We conducted an unbiased screen and identified drug candidates that modulate the activity of NO neurons and demonstrated their potential in promoting motility in mouse colonic tissue ex vivo. We established a high-throughput strategy to define the developmental programs involved in NO neuron specification and discovered that PDGFR inhibition boosts the induction of NO neurons in enteric ganglioids. Transplantation of these ganglioids in the colon of NO neuron-deficient mice results in extensive tissue engraftment, providing a xenograft model for the study of human ENS in vivo and the development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative GI disorders. These studies provide a framework for deciphering fundamental features of the human ENS and designing effective strategies to treat enteric neuropathies.  

scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Spheroids as In Vitro Preclinical Models for Cancer Research

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1186
Author(s):  
Bárbara Pinto ◽  
Ana C. Henriques ◽  
Patrícia M. A. Silva ◽  
Hassan Bousbaa
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
3D Culture ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
In Vivo Testing

Most cancer biologists still rely on conventional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture techniques to test in vitro anti-tumor drugs prior to in vivo testing. However, the vast majority of promising preclinical drugs have no or weak efficacy in real patients with tumors, thereby delaying the discovery of successful therapeutics. This is because 2D culture lacks cell–cell contacts and natural tumor microenvironment, important in tumor signaling and drug response, thereby resulting in a reduced malignant phenotype compared to the real tumor. In this sense, three-dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells that better recapitulate in vivo cell environments emerged as scientifically accurate and low cost cancer models for preclinical screening and testing of new drug candidates before moving to expensive and time-consuming animal models. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of 3D tumor systems and highlight the strategies for spheroid construction and evaluation tools of targeted therapies, focusing on their applicability in cancer research. Examples of the applicability of 3D culture for the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines are discussed.

scholarly journals MPST but not CSE is the primary regulator of hydrogen sulfide production and function in the coronary artery

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (1) ◽  
pp. H71-H79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie M. Kuo ◽  
Dae Hee Kim ◽  
Sandeep Jandu ◽  
Yehudit Bergman ◽  
Siqi Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Sulfide ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Human Coronary Artery ◽  
Sodium Hydrosulfide ◽  
Physiological Relevance ◽  
Hydrogen Sulfide Production ◽  
And Function

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as an important gasotransmitter in the vasculature. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that H2S contributes to coronary vasoregulation and evaluated the physiological relevance of two sources of H2S, namely, cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and 3-mercaptypyruvate sulfertransferase (MPST). MPST was detected in human coronary artery endothelial cells as well as rat and mouse coronary artery; CSE was not detected in the coronary vasculature. Rat coronary artery homogenates produced H2S through the MPST pathway but not the CSE pathway in vitro. In vivo coronary vasorelaxation response was similar in CSE knockout mice, wild-type mice (WT), and WT mice treated with the CSE inhibitor propargylglycine, suggesting that CSE-produced H2S does not have a significant role in coronary vasoregulation in vivo. Ex vivo, the MPST substrate 3-mercaptopyruvate (3-MP) and H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) elicited similar coronary vasoreactivity responses. Pyruvate did not have any effects on vasoreactivity. The vasoactive effect of H2S appeared to be nitric oxide (NO) dependent: H2S induced coronary vasoconstriction in the presence of NO and vasorelaxation in its absence. Maximal endothelial-dependent relaxation was intact after 3-MP and NaHS induced an increase in preconstriction tone, suggesting that endothelial NO synthase activity was not significantly inhibited. In vitro, H2S reacted with NO, which may, in part explain the vasoconstrictive effects of 3-MP and NaHS. Taken together, these data show that MPST rather than CSE generates H2S in coronary artery, mediating its effects through direct modulation of NO. This has important implications for H2S-based therapy in healthy and diseased coronary arteries.

scholarly journals Talin is required for integrin-mediated platelet function in hemostasis and thrombosis

2007 ◽  
Vol 204 (13) ◽  
pp. 3103-3111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian G. Petrich ◽  
Patrizia Marchese ◽  
Zaverio M. Ruggeri ◽  
Saskia Spiess ◽  
Rachel A.M. Weichert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Adhesion ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Β1 Integrin ◽  
Normal Morphology ◽  
And Function ◽  
Specific Deletion

Integrins are critical for hemostasis and thrombosis because they mediate both platelet adhesion and aggregation. Talin is an integrin-binding cytoplasmic adaptor that is a central organizer of focal adhesions, and loss of talin phenocopies integrin deletion in Drosophila. Here, we have examined the role of talin in mammalian integrin function in vivo by selectively disrupting the talin1 gene in mouse platelet precursor megakaryocytes. Talin null megakaryocytes produced circulating platelets that exhibited normal morphology yet manifested profoundly impaired hemostatic function. Specifically, platelet-specific deletion of talin1 led to spontaneous hemorrhage and pathological bleeding. Ex vivo and in vitro studies revealed that loss of talin1 resulted in dramatically impaired integrin αIIbβ3-mediated platelet aggregation and β1 integrin–mediated platelet adhesion. Furthermore, loss of talin1 strongly inhibited the activation of platelet β1 and β3 integrins in response to platelet agonists. These data establish that platelet talin plays a crucial role in hemostasis and provide the first proof that talin is required for the activation and function of mammalian α2β1 and αIIbβ3 integrins in vivo.

scholarly journals Real-Time Wireless Platform for In Vivo Monitoring of Bone Regeneration

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 4591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Blázquez-Carmona ◽  
Manuel Sanchez-Raya ◽  
Juan Mora-Macías ◽  
Juan Antonio Gómez-Galán ◽  
Jaime Domínguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Regeneration ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Bone Lengthening ◽  
Bone Callus ◽  
Reliable Solution ◽  
Regeneration Processes

For the monitoring of bone regeneration processes, the instrumentation of the fixation is an increasingly common technique to indirectly measure the evolution of bone formation instead of ex vivo measurements or traditional in vivo techniques, such as X-ray or visual review. A versatile instrumented external fixator capable of adapting to multiple bone regeneration processes was designed, as well as a wireless acquisition system for the data collection. The design and implementation of the overall architecture of such a system is described in this work, including the hardware, firmware, and mechanical components. The measurements are conditioned and subsequently sent to a PC via wireless communication to be in vivo displayed and analyzed using a developed real-time monitoring application. Moreover, a model for the in vivo estimation of the bone callus stiffness from collected data was defined. This model was validated in vitro using elastic springs, reporting promising results with respect to previous equipment, with average errors and uncertainties below 6.7% and 14.04%. The devices were also validated in vivo performing a bone lengthening treatment on a sheep metatarsus. The resulting system allowed the in vivo mechanical characterization of the bone callus during experimentation, providing a low-cost, simple, and highly reliable solution.

scholarly journals In vitro and in vivo activities of flavonoids – apigenin, baicalin, chrysin, scutellarin – in regulation of hypertension – a review for their possible effects in pregnancy-induced hypertension

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Ożarowski ◽  
Radosław Kujawski ◽  
Przemysław Ł. Mikołajczak ◽  
Karolina Wielgus ◽  
Andrzej Klejewski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Mediators Of Inflammation ◽  
And Function

Summary Flavonoids and their conjugates are the most important group of natural chemical compounds in drug discovery and development. The search for pharmacological activity and new mechanisms of activity of these chemical compounds, which may inhibit mediators of inflammation and influence the structure and function of endothelial cells, can be an interesting pharmacological strategy for the prevention and adjunctive treatments of hypertension, especially induced by pregnancy. Because cardiovascular diseases have multi-factorial pathogenesis these natural chemical compounds with wide spectrum of biological activities are the most interesting source of new drugs. Extracts from one of the most popular plant used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi could be a very interesting source of flavonoids because of its exact content in quercetin, apigenin, chrysin and scutellarin as well as in baicalin. These flavonoids exert vasoprotective properties and many activities such as: anti-oxidative via several pathways, anti-in-flammatory, anti-ischaemic, cardioprotective and anti-hypertensive. However, there is lack of summaries of results of studies in context of potential and future application of flavonoids with determined composition and activity. Our review aims to provide a literature survey of in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo pharmacological studies of selected flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin and scutellarin, baicalin) in various models of hypertension carried out in 2008–2018.

scholarly journals Vessel-on-a-chip models for studying microvascular physiology, transport, and function in vitro

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Savannah R. Moses ◽  
Jonathan J. Adorno ◽  
Andre F. Palmer ◽  
Jonathan W. Song
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Tissue Level ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Cell Culture Techniques ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
Microscale Flow ◽  
Flow Phenomena ◽  
Defined Culture ◽  
And Function

To understand how the microvasculature grows and remodels, researchers require reproducible systems that emulate the function of living tissue. Innovative contributions toward fulfilling this important need have been made by engineered microvessels assembled in vitro using microfabrication techniques. Microfabricated vessels, commonly referred to as "vessels on a chip," are from a class of cell culture technologies that uniquely integrate microscale flow phenomena, tissue-level biomolecular transport, cell-cell interactions, and proper 3-D extracellular matrix environments under well-defined culture conditions. Here, we discuss the enabling attributes of microfabricated vessels that make these models more physiological compared to established cell culture techniques, and the potential of these models for advancing microvascular research. This review highlights the key features of microvascular transport and physiology, critically discusses the strengths and limitations of different microfabrication strategies for studying the microvasculature, and provides a perspective on current challenges and future opportunities for vessel on a chip models.

scholarly journals Microtissues in Cardiovascular Medicine: Regenerative Potential Based on a 3D Microenvironment

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Günter ◽  
Petra Wolint ◽  
Annina Bopp ◽  
Julia Steiger ◽  
Elena Cambria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
3D Cell Culture ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Cell Culture Techniques ◽  
Cell Therapies ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
3D Microenvironment

More people die annually from cardiovascular diseases than from any other cause. In particular, patients who suffer from myocardial infarction may be affected by ongoing adverse remodeling processes of the heart that may ultimately lead to heart failure. The introduction of stem and progenitor cell-based applications has raised substantial hope for reversing these processes and inducing cardiac regeneration. However, current stem cell therapies using single-cell suspensions have failed to demonstrate long-lasting efficacy due to the overall low retention rate after cell delivery to the myocardium. To overcome this obstacle, the concept of 3D cell culture techniques has been proposed to enhance therapeutic efficacy and cell engraftment based on the simulation of an in vivo-like microenvironment. Of great interest is the use of so-called microtissues or spheroids, which have evolved from their traditional role as in vitro models to their novel role as therapeutic agents. This review will provide an overview of the therapeutic potential of microtissues by addressing primarily cardiovascular regeneration. It will accentuate their advantages compared to other regenerative approaches and summarize the methods for generating clinically applicable microtissues. In addition, this review will illustrate the unique properties of the microenvironment within microtissues that makes them a promising next-generation therapeutic approach.

scholarly journals Building neuromuscular junctions in vitro

Development ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 147 (22) ◽  
pp. dev193920
Author(s):  
Susie Barbeau ◽  
Julie Tahraoui-Bories ◽  
Claire Legay ◽  
Cécile Martinat
Keyword(s):  
Human Disease ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Neuromuscular Junctions ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Culture Methods ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Chemical Synapses ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTThe neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has been the model of choice to understand the principles of communication at chemical synapses. Following groundbreaking experiments carried out over 60 years ago, many studies have focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and physiology of these synapses. This Review summarizes the progress made to date towards obtaining faithful models of NMJs in vitro. We provide a historical approach discussing initial experiments investigating NMJ development and function from Xenopus to mice, the creation of chimeric co-cultures, in vivo approaches and co-culture methods from ex vivo and in vitro derived cells, as well as the most recent developments to generate human NMJs. We discuss the benefits of these techniques and the challenges to be addressed in the future for promoting our understanding of development and human disease.

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