Growing Three Dimensional Vascularized Structures to Mimic Natural Tissue

医用材料集团在开发模拟组织结构的胶原蛋白支架方面拥有丰富的经验。胶原蛋白在动物和人体组织中占主导地位，它们的作用是双重的：提供适当的机械支持和促进细胞附着和功能。冷冻干燥后的零长度交联为生产3D胶原蛋白环境提供了基础技术，通过控制该过程的化学成分，可以控制机械反应和降解特性。我们在真皮组织、心脏组织和神经再生领域工作，能够复制自然组织的结构，为细胞定植和营养和氧气运输提供空间。然而，我们也了解三维支架环境对血管发育的重要性，血管是组织修复和再生的关键。通过仔细选择细胞类型和培养条件，我们已经开始复制血管化组织结构，这些为再现天然组织提供了重要的一步。我们将尝试用冰模板制备三维胶原蛋白支架，并利用x射线显微断层扫描、扫描电镜和力学测试对其进行表征。然后，我们将使用适当的生物细胞共培养，以创建一个血管化的结构，模仿天然组织。

The Medical Materials Group has extensive experience in the development of collagen scaffolds that mimic tissue structures. Collagens predominate in animal and human tissue and their role is two-fold: to provide a suitable mechanical support and to foster cell attachment and function. Freeze-drying followed by zero length cross linking provides a base technology for the production of 3D collagen environments and by controlling the chemistry of the process, it is possible to control the mechanical response and degradation properties. We have worked in the area of dermal tissues, cardiac tissues and nerve regeneration and are able to reproduce the architecture of natural tissue, providing space for cell colonization and for nutrient and oxygen transport. However, we also understand the importance of our three dimensional scaffold environments for the development of blood vessels which are key to tissue repair and regeneration. Through careful choice of cell type and culture conditions we have begun to reproduce vascularized tissue structures and these offer an important step further toward recapitulating the native tissues. We would propose to explore the fabrication of 3D collagen scaffolds using ice templating and characterize these using X-ray microtomography, scanning electron microscopy and mechanical testing. We will then use co-culture of appropriate biological cells to create a vascularized structure that mimics native tissue.