PRISM-LT - PRInted Symbiotic Materials as a dynamic platform for Living Tissues production

PRISM-LT旨在为基于混合生物材料的下一代活组织制造创造一个灵活的平台。我们计划设计一种新型生物墨水，将干细胞整合到富含工程辅助细胞（细菌或酵母，取决于应用和要求）的支持基质中。调整生物打印过程的操作参数，我们将控制每个“体素”的机械性能的材料，以获得3D图案结构，干细胞在局部诱导下开始向不同谱系分化。就干细胞增殖而言，辅助细胞仍处于静止状态。然而，当干细胞受到局部（打印）机制的刺激并进入分化途径时，它们开始分泌一系列谱系特异性代谢物。辅助细胞被设计用来感知这些早期的分化标记，并通过原位产生相应的生长因子来做出反应，提供相关的化学指导。平台内的辅助细胞扩大了每个区域的初始谱系承诺，并在更长的时间内动态地维持分化。在项目期间，我们将实施这一战略，并开发两种独立的共生材料，分别针对生物医学和食品应用。

The PRISM-LT aims at creating a flexible platform for next generation living tissue manufacturing based on Hybrid Living Materials. We plan to design a novel bio-ink where stem cells are integrated in a support matrix enriched with engineered helper cells (either bacteria or yeasts, depending on the application and requirements). Tuning the operational parameters of the bioprinting process, we will cast down the material controlling the mechanical properties of each “voxel”, to get to a 3D patterned structure where stem cells are locally induced to initiate their differentiation towards different lineages. As far as stem cells proliferate, the helpers remain in a quiescent state. However, when the stem cells get stimulated by the local (printed) mechanics and enter a differentiation pathway, they start secreting a pool of lineage-specific metabolites. The helper cells are designed to sense these early markers of differentiation, and to respond by producing in-situ the corresponding growth factors, providing the relevant chemical guidance. Helper cells within the platform amplify the initial lineage commitment in each area and dynamically sustain differentiation on a longer term. During the project we will implement this strategy and develop two independent symbiotic materials, targeting biomedical and food applications, respectively.