title: Tissue engineering a fetal membrane.
abstract: The aim of this study was to construct an artificial fetal membrane (FM) by combination of human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) and a mechanically enhanced collagen scaffold containing encapsulated human amniotic stromal fibroblasts (hASFs). Such a tissue-engineered FM may have the potential to plug structural defects in the amniotic sac after antenatal interventions, or to prevent preterm premature rupture of the FM. The hAESCs and hASFs were isolated from human fetal amniotic membrane (AM). Magnetic cell sorting was used to enrich the hAESCs by positive ATP-binding cassette G2 selection. We investigated the use of a laminin/fibronectin (1:1)-coated compressed collagen gel as a novel scaffold to support the growth of hAESCs. A type I collagen gel was dehydrated to form a material mimicking the mechanical properties and ultra-structure of human AM. hAESCs successfully adhered to and formed a monolayer upon the biomimetic collagen scaffold. The resulting artificial membrane shared a high degree of similarity in cell morphology, protein expression profiles, and structure to normal fetal AM. This study provides the first line of evidence that a compacted collagen gel containing hASFs could adequately support hAESCs adhesion and differentiation to a degree that is comparable to the normal human fetal AM in terms of structure and maintenance of cell phenotype.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Food, and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Shengli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Anna L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Bipasha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Roanne Razalia
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ian William
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Hamley
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Squires
authors.forename: Che John
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Connon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012212:Rheology / Q000187:drug effects; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen