Engineering degradable, 'tuneable' microcarriers for the bulk culture of therapeutically active mesenchymal stem cell

使用间充质基质细胞（MSCs）的细胞疗法是一种令人兴奋的治疗选择，使用我们自己的细胞来抑制炎症和促进受损组织的修复。有效的治疗应用需要大量的间充质干细胞，这需要在实验室进行扩增。这可能导致其重要的免疫调节和修复功能的丧失，由于自发分化。该项目将建立在现有知识的基础上，制造新的微载体，可以优化为msc提供粘附信号和“可调”弹性，以提供最佳的生长表面条件。此外，本项目还研究了MSCs在反应器中释放的关键可溶性因子，如含有生物活性分子的细胞外囊泡。已知这些因子具有免疫调节特性，当与间充质干细胞结合时，可以提供双重治疗方法。这种“可调谐”的新型微载体系统将结合缓释晶体，允许直接递送生长因子，而不是调节MSC功能。重要的是，这些载体是可降解的，便于收集扩展细胞进行进一步测试。这允许高效、标准化和可扩展的MSCs用于治疗或科学研究。

Cell based therapies using Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) are an exciting therapeutic option, using our own cells to both dampen inflammation and promote repair of damaged tissues. Large numbers of MSCs are required for effective therapeutic applications, requiring expansion in the laboratory. This can result in loss of their important immuno-modulatory and repair functions due to spontaneous differentiation.This project will build on current knowledge to manufacture new microcarriers which can be optimized to provide both adhesive signals, and 'tuneable' elasticity to provide MSCs with the optimal growth surface conditions. Additionally, this project investigates key soluble factors released by MSCs in the reactor, such as extracellular vesicles containing bioactive molecules. Such factors are known to possess immunomodulatory properties and can provide a dual approach to therapy when combined with MSCs.This 'tuneable' new microcarrier system will incorporate slow-release crystals allowing direct delivery of growth factors than can modulate MSC function. Importantly, these carriers will be degradable, allowing for easy collection of expanded cells for further testing. This allows for efficient, standardised, and scalable expansion of MSCs for use in therapy or scientific research.