Abstract
In this study, we examined the in vivo osteogenic differentiation of human embryoid bodies (hEBs) by using an injectable in situ-forming hydrogel. A solution containing MPEG-b-(polycaprolactone-ran-polylactide) (MCL) and hEBs was easily prepared at room temperature. The MCL solution with hEBs and osteogenic factors was injected into nude mice and developed into in situ-forming hydrogels at the injection sites; these hydrogels maintained their shape even after 12 weeks in vivo, thereby indicating that the in situ-forming MCL hydrogel was a suitable scaffold for hEBs. The in vivo osteogenic differentiation was observed only in the in situ gel-forming MCL hydrogel in the presence of hEBs and osteogenic factors. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests that hEBs and osteogenic factors embedded in an in situ-forming MCL hydrogel may provide numerous benefits as a noninvasive alternative for allogeneic tissue engineering applications.
Highlights
Tissue engineering is a promising method for regenerating damaged tissues or organs [1] and requires the presence of suitable three-dimensional scaffolds [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
(b) does in vivo osteogenic differentiation occur in response to in situ-forming MCL hydrogels seeded with human embryoid bodies (hEBs) and osteogenic factors? Resolving these questions will enhance allogeneic tissue engineering applications
The results obtained on analyzing the phase transition as a function of temperature demonstrated that the MCL solution exhibited low viscosity below °C and became a hydrogel at °C
Summary
Tissue engineering is a promising method for regenerating damaged tissues or organs [1] and requires the presence of suitable three-dimensional scaffolds [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. In situ-forming hydrogels are based on the concept that under physiological conditions, certain biomaterials form desired hydrogels in situ after injection as a liquid via a simple liquid-to-gel phase transition [10]. This characteristic enables hydrogels to trap various biologic materials such as growth factors, genes and cells. The functional properties of human EBs (hEBs) incorporated into in situ-forming hydrogels have received little attention in vivo [32,33,34]. (b) does in vivo osteogenic differentiation occur in response to in situ-forming MCL hydrogels seeded with hEBs and osteogenic factors?
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