title: Enhanced Viability of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells in Fibrin Microbeads for Sensor Vascularization.
abstract: Enhanced vascularization at sensor interfaces can improve long-term function. Fibrin, a natural polymer, has shown promise as a biomaterial for sensor coating due to its ability to sustain endothelial cell growth and promote local vascularization. However, the culture of cells, particularly endothelial cells (EC), within 3D scaffolds for more than a few days is challenging due to rapid loss of EC viability. In this manuscript, a robust method for developing fibrin microbead scaffolds for long-term culture of encapsulated ECs is described. Fibrin microbeads are formed using sodium alginate as a structural template. The size, swelling and structural properties of the microbeads were varied with needle gauge and composition and concentration of the pre-gel solution. Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) were suspended in the fibrin beads and cultured within a perfusion bioreactor system. The perfusion bioreactor enhanced ECFCs viability and genome stability in fibrin beads relative to static culture. Perfusion bioreactors enable 3D culture of ECs within fibrin beads for potential application as a sensor coating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wishnick Hall 223, 3255 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60616, USA. jgandhi2@hawk.iit.edu.
authors.forename: Jarel K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wishnick Hall 223, 3255 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60616, USA. lada@pharmacy.bg.ac.rs.|Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade 11000, Serbia. lada@pharmacy.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Lada
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zivkovic
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. jpfisher@umd.edu.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46201, USA. myoder@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Mervin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Yoder
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wishnick Hall 223, 3255 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60616, USA. brey@iit.edu.|Research Service, Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA. brey@iit.edu.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Brey
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D005337:Fibrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008863:Microspheres; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005337:Fibrin
keywords: bioreactor; fibrin; implantable sensors; long-term sensors; tissue engineering; vascularization