Translational approaches to functional platelet production ex vivo.
Platelets, which are released by megakaryocytes, play key roles in haemostasis, angiogenesis, immunity, tissue regeneration and wound healing. The scarcity of clinical cures for life threatening platelet diseases is in a large part due to limited insight into the mechanisms that control the developmental process of megakaryocytes and the mechanisms that govern the production of platelets within the bone marrow. To overcome these limitations, functional human tissue models have been developed and studied to extrapolate ex vivo outcomes for new insight on bone marrow functions in vivo. There are many challenges that these models must overcome, from faithfully mimicking the physiological composition and functions of bone marrow, to the collection of the platelets generated and validation of their viability and function for human use. The overall goal is to identify innovative instruments to study mechanisms of platelet release, diseases related to platelet production and new therapeutic targets starting from human progenitor cells.
Alessandra Balduini, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA, Tel.: +1 617 627 2580, Fax: +1 617 627 3231, E-mail: alessandra.balduini@tufts.edu.
Alessandra
A
Balduini
Christian A
CA
Di Buduo
David L. Kaplan, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA, Tel.: +1 617 627 2580, Fax: +1 617 627 3231, E-mail: david.kaplan@tufts.edu.
David L
DL
Kaplan
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods; D019149:Bioreactors; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D034061:Thrombopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001672:Biocompatible Materials
Bone marrow; bioreactor; ex vivo platelet production; megakaryocytes