Scaffolds based on degradable alginate hydrogels and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres for stem cell culture.
We describe a method for creating alginate hydrogels with adjustable degradation rates that can be used as scaffolds for stem cells. Alginate hydrogels have been widely tested as three-dimensional constructs for cell culture, cell carriers for implantation, and in tissue regeneration applications; however, alginate hydrogel implants can take months to disappear from implantation sites because mammals do not produce endogenous alginases. By incorporating poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres loaded with alginate lyase into alginate hydrogels, we demonstrate that alginate hydrogels can be enzymatically degraded in a controlled and tunable fashion. We demonstrate that neural progenitor cells (NPCs) can be cultured and expanded in vitro in this degradable alginate hydrogel system. Moreover, we observe a significant increase in the expansion rate of NPCs cultured in degrading alginate hydrogels versus NPCs cultured in standard, i.e. non-degrading, alginate hydrogels. Degradable alginate hydrogels encapsulating stem cells may be widely applied to develop novel therapies for tissue regeneration.
Ashton
Randolph S
RS
The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
Banerjee
Akhilesh
A
Punyani
Supriya
S
Schaffer
David V
DV
Kane
Ravi S
RS
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons; D011098:Polyglactin 910 / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D011098:Polyglactin 910; D020723:Glucuronic Acid