Bacterial Cellulose Scaffolds Research Articles

An immunomodulatory and osteogenic bacterial cellulose scaffold for bone regeneration via regulating the immune microenvironment

Creating a bone homeostasis microenvironment that balances osteogenesis and immunity is a substantial challenge for bone regeneration. Here, we prepared an immunomodulatory and osteogenic bacterial cellulose scaffold (FOBS) via a facile one-pot approach. The aldehyde groups were generated via selective oxidation of the hydroxyl groups of bacterial cellulose, offering the bonding sites for dopamine through a Schiff base reaction. At the same time, the deposition of Ca2+ and PO43− was promoted on the aldehyde cellulose scaffold because of the high affinity of the catechol moiety for Ca2+. Compared with that of the unmodified scaffold, the hydroxyapatite content of FOBS increased by 47.1 % according to the ICP results. Interestingly, FOBS regulated the immune microenvironment to accelerate the conversion of M1 to M2 macrophages. The expressions of ARG-1 and Dectin-1 (M2) in the FOBS group increased by >100 %. The expression of osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was also upregulated. In a rat cranial defect model, the BV/TV of FOBS was significantly increased. Further immunohistochemical analysis revealed that an improved immune microenvironment promoted the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells in vivo. This work provides an effective and easy-to-operate strategy for the development of the bone tissue engineering scaffolds.

In Vitro and In Vivo Biocompatibility of Bacterial Cellulose.

Bacterial cellulose is a unique biomaterial produced by various species of bacteria that offers a range of potential applications in the biomedical field. To provide a cost-effective alternative to soft-tissue implants used in cavity infills, remodeling, and subdermal wound healing, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility of native bacterial cellulose were investigated. Cytotoxicity was assessed using a metabolic assay on Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and INS-1832/13 rat insulinoma. Results showed no cytotoxicity, whether the cells were seeded over or under the bacterial cellulose scaffolds. Biocompatibility was performed on Sprague-Dawley rats (males and females, 8 weeks old) by implanting bacterial cellulose membranes subcutaneously for 1 or 12 weeks. The explanted scaffolds were then sliced and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological characterization. The first series of results revealed acute and chronic inflammation persisting over 12 weeks. Examination of the explants indicated a high number of granulocytes within the periphery of the bacterial cellulose, suggesting the presence of endotoxins within the membrane, confirmed by a Limulus amebocyte lysate test. This discovery motivated the development of non-pyrogenic bacterial cellulose scaffolds. Following this, a second series of animal experiments was done, in which materials were implanted for 1 or 2 weeks. The results revealed mild inflammation 1 week after implantation, which then diminished to minimal inflammation after 2 weeks. Altogether, this study highlights that unmodified, purified native bacterial cellulose membranes may be used as a cost-effective biomedical device provided that proper endotoxin clearance is achieved.

Development of a bacterial cellulose-gelatin composite as a suitable scaffold for cardiac tissue engineering.

Cardiac tissue engineering is suggested as a promising approach to overcome problems associated with impaired myocardium. This is the first study to investigate the use of BC and gelatin for cardiomyocyte adhesion and growth. Bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes were produced by Komagataeibacter xylinus and coated or mixed with gelatin to make gelatin-coated BC (BCG) or gelatin-mixed BC (mBCG) scaffolds, respectively. BC based-scaffolds were characterized via SEM, FTIR, XRD, and AFM. Neonatal rat-ventricular cardiomyocytes (nr-vCMCs) were cultured on the scaffolds to check the capability of the composites for cardiomyocyte attachment, growth and expansion. The average nanofibrils diameter in all scaffolds was suitable (~ 30-65nm) for nr-vCMCs culture. Pore diameter (≥ 10µm), surface roughness (~ 182nm), elastic modulus (0.075 ± 0.015MPa) in mBCG were in accordance with cardiomyocyte requirements, so that mBCG could better support attachment of nr-vCMCs with high concentration of gelatin, and appropriate surface roughness. Also, it could better support growth and expansion of nr-vCMCs due to submicron scale of nanofibrils and proper elasticity (~ 0.075MPa). The viability of nr-vCMCs on BC and BCG scaffolds was very low even at day 2 of culture (~ ≤ 40%), but, mBCG could promote a metabolic active state of nr-vCMCs until day 7 (~ ≥ 50%). According to our results, mBCG scaffold was the most suitable composite for cardiomyocyte culture, regarding its physicochemical and cell characteristics. It is suggested that improvement in mBCG stability and cell attachment features may provide a convenient scaffold for cardiac tissue engineering.

The Effect of Assam Silk Fibroin on the Bacterial Cellulose Cytocompatibility as the Extracellular Matrix

AbstractThe growing interest in natural polymers for biomedical and tissue engineering has fueled the search for materials with superior mechanical and biological properties. Bacterial cellulose (BC) and silk fibroin (SF) emerge as promising candidates meeting these criteria. This study focuses on enhancing BC through high‐pressure homogenization (HPH) and subsequent functionalization with Assam silk fibroin (ASF) using an ex‐situ approach. Analysis via attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopy confirms the successful integration of ASF into the HPH‐treated BC scaffold. The diffractogram of HPH‐BC/ASF indicates the prevalence of type I cellulose crystalline structures, with variations in lamellar and porous architecture based on component ratios. Mechanical testing, particularly the compressive test, reveals that the HPH‐BC/ASF formulation exhibits the highest compressive stress and modulus compared to other samples. Supplementary analyses, including swelling ratio and porosity measurements, support the superior compressive properties of HPH‐BC/ASF. Moreover, the cell viability of chondrocytes demonstrates compatibility with the BC‐based scaffold material. These findings underscore the potential applications of HPH‐BC and ASF in areas such as scaffolding for the development of extracellular matrix.

A bacterial cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol/nitro graphene oxide double layer network hydrogel efficiency antibacterial and promotes wound healing

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was chemically modified utilizing concentrated nitric acid to produce a nitrated graphene oxide derivative (NGO) with enhanced oxidation level, improved dispersibility, and increased antibacterial activity. A double-layer composite hydrogel material (BC/PVA/NGO) with a core-shell structure was fabricated by utilizing bacterial cellulose (BC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) binary composite hydrogel scaffold as the inner network template, and hydrophilic polymer (PVA) loaded with antibacterial material (NGO) as the outer network. The fabrication process involved physical crosslinking based on repeated freezing and thawing. The resulting BC/PVA/NGO hydrogel exhibited a porous structure, favorable mechanical properties, antibacterial efficacy, and biocompatibility. Subsequently, the performance of BC/PVA/NGO hydrogel in promoting wound healing was evaluated using a mouse skin injury model. The findings demonstrated that the BC/PVA/NGO hydrogel treatment group facilitated improved wound healing in the mouse skin injury model compared to the control group and the BC/PVA group. This enhanced wound healing capability was attributed primarily to the excellent antibacterial and tissue repair properties of the BC/PVA/NGO hydrogel.

Calcium crosslinked macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffolds with enhanced in situ mineralization and osteoinductivity for cranial bone regeneration

The inherent biological inertness and lack of three-dimensional (3D) macroporous structures greatly hinder the use of pristine bacterial cellulose (BC) as a tissue engineering scaffold for bone regeneration. To address this issue, we developed a simple and effective strategy to fabricate a BC-based scaffold with excellent bioactivity and macroporous structure by crosslinking short-cut BC nanofibers using Ca2+. The Ca2+ crosslinked macroporous BC scaffold (MPBC@Ca) presents better structural stability due to the enhanced cellulose hydration. Importantly, the Ca2+ on the surface of BC nanofibers can serve as an active nucleation site to accelerate the deposition of hydroxyapatite (HAp), which is beneficial for the construction of biomimetic bone tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment. The HAp-deposited MPBC@Ca scaffolds (HAp-MPBC@Ca) with biomimetic ECM microenvironment have excellent cytocompatibility and enhanced osteogenic differentiation of stem cells in vitro. Furthermore, the results of in vivo tests revealed that the HAp-MPBC@Ca scaffold has favorable osteoinductivity and accelerates cranial bone tissue regeneration. This study proposes a novel strategy to improve the bioactivity of BC and presents the great potential of biomimetic ECM microenvironment BC-based scaffold for repairing large cranial bone defects.

Composite of bacterial cellulose and gelatin: A versatile biocompatible scaffold for tissue engineering

Synthesis of 0.4 ± 0.03 g/L per day of pure and porous bacterial cellulose (BC) scaffolds (scaffBC) and BC scaffolds modified with gelatin (scaffBC/Gel) was carried out using the Medusomyces gisevii Sa-28 bacterial strain. FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the scaffolds largely consist of crystalline cellulose I (Iα, Iß). Heating of BC with gelatin to 60 °C with subsequent lyophilization led to its modification by adsorption and binding of low-molecular fractions of gelatin and the formation of small pores between the fibers, which increased the biocompatibility and solubility of BC. The solubility of scaffBC and scaffBC/Gel was 20.8 % and 44.4 %, respectively, which enhances degradation in vivo. Light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and microcomputed tomography showed a uniform distribution of pores with a diameter of 100–500 μm. The chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model and subcutaneous implantation in rats confirmed low immunogenicity and intense formation of collagen fibers in both scaffolds and active germination of new blood vessels in scaffBC and scaffBC/Gel. The proliferative cellular activity of fibroblasts confirmed the safety of scaffolds. Taken together, the results obtained show that scaffBC/Gel can be used for the engineering of hard and soft tissues, which opens opportunities for further research.

Fabrication and Characterization of a Polydopamine-Modified Bacterial Cellulose and Sugarcane Filter Cake-Derived Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffold.

The search for environmentally friendly and sustainable sources of raw materials has been ongoing for quite a while, and currently, the utilization and applications of agro-industrial biomass residues in biomedicine are being researched. In this study, a polydopamine (PDA)-modified bacterial cellulose (BC) and hydroxyapatite (HA) composite scaffold was fabricated using the freeze-drying method. The as-prepared hydroxyapatite was synthesized via the chemical precipitation method using sugarcane filter cake as a calcium source, as reported in a previous study. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a carbonated phase of the prepared hydroxyapatite, similar to that of the natural bone mineral. Wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis revealed the successful fabrication of BC/HA composite scaffolds, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that PDA was deposited on the surface of the BC/HA composite scaffolds. In vitro cell viability assays indicated that BC/HA and PDA-modified composite scaffolds did not induce cytotoxicity and were biocompatible with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts. PDA-modified composite scaffolds showed enhanced protein adsorption capacity in vitro compared to the unmodified scaffolds. On a concluding note, these results demonstrate that agro-industrial biomass residues have the potential to be used in biomedical applications and that PDA-modified BC/HA composite scaffolds are a promising biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

Green Synthesized Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles Reinforce Osteogenesis Properties of Bacterial Cellulose Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications: An In Vitro Assessment.

The use of biocompatible scaffolds with appropriate characteristics to treat large bone defects has attracted significant attention. The main objective of the current study is to fabricate a 3D nanocomposite structure that contains green synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgONPs) and bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibres, as a bioscaffold for bone regeneration. In this experimental study, Camellia sinensis extract was used as the green method to synthesize MgONPs. The synthesized hydrogels were evaluated for their porosity, morphology, degradation rate, mechanical features, cell attachment, and cytocompatibility. Osteogenic differentiation was assessed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and alizarin red staining. MgONPs significantly increased both mechanical strength (P=0.009) and porosity (P=0.01) of the BC hydrogels. Human MG-63 osteoblast proliferation significantly increased in the MgONP-BC group compared to the pure BC group (P=0.003). Expression rates of both the ALP (P=0.001) and osteocalcin (OCN) genes were significantly enhanced in cells seeded on the MgONP-incorporated BC. MG-63 cells had significantly greater calcium deposition and ALP activity (P=0.002) on the MgONP-BC scaffold compared to the BC at day 21. The MgONP-BC scaffold can promote the osteogenic activity of osteoblast-like cells, which indicates its therapeutic potential for bone tissue regeneration.

Ti3C2Tx MXene-incorporated macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffolds with physical and chemical crosslinking for enhanced mechanical and biological performance

Ti3C2Tx MXene-incorporated macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffolds with physical and chemical crosslinking for enhanced mechanical and biological performance

Incorporation of chondroitin sulfate into macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffold for improved bioactivity

Incorporation of chondroitin sulfate into macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffold for improved bioactivity

Cellulosic all-solid-state electrolyte for lithium batteries fabricated via bio-synthetic avenue

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) have been attracting tremendous attention as the revolutionary separators using in the next-generation of lithium battery with high safety and improved electrochemical performance. Nevertheless, the traditional CSEs composed of Li+-conducting polymers and ceramics normally suffer from structural deformation, inhomogeneous integration, and inadequate mechanical strength. Herein, the Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 (LAGP) conductive ceramics supported by bacterial cellulose (BC) scaffolds (LAGP@BC) are successfully fabricated as CSEs with the assistance of biosynthesis. After infiltration by polyethylene oxide (PEO), the as-prepared LAGP@BC-PEO presents excellent Young's modulus up to 107.8 MPa. The porous cellulosic architectures encourage homogeneous Li+ flux across the CSEs. The LAGP@BC-PEO exhibits high ion transfer number (0.45) and ionic conductivity (1.01 × 10−4 S cm−1). After assembling LAGP@BC-PEO into a full cell, the Li|LAGP@BC-PEO|LiFePO4 delivers a higher capacity (168.2 mAh g−1) at 1C and superior capacity retention of 90.4% after 200 cycles. This work provides a judicious design for fabricating CSEs by integrating conductive ceramics into BC scaffolds with a green and mild biosynthetic avenue.

Clinical application of a double-modified sulfated bacterial cellulose scaffold material loaded with FGFR2-modified adipose-derived stem cells in urethral reconstruction

BackgroundUrethral stricture and reconstruction are one of the thorny difficult problems in the field of urology. The continuous development of tissue engineering and biomaterials has given new therapeutic thinking to this problem. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an excellent biomaterial due to its accessibility and strong plasticity. Moreover, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) could enhance their wound healing ability through directional modification.MethodsFirst, we used physical drilling and sulfonation in this study to make BC more conducive to cell attachment and degradation. We tested the relevant mechanical properties of these materials. After that, we attached Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2)-modified ADSCs to the material to construct a urethra for tissue engineering. Afterward, we verified this finding in the male New Zealand rabbit model and carried out immunohistochemical and imaging examinations 1 and 3 months after the operation. At the same time, we detected the potential biological function of FGFR2 by bioinformatics and a cytokine chip.ResultsThe results show that the composite has excellent repairability and that this ability is correlated with angiogenesis. The new composite in this study provides new insight and therapeutic methods for urethral reconstruction. The preliminary mechanism showed that FGFR2 could promote angiogenesis and tissue repair by promoting the secretion of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) from ADSCs.ConclusionsDouble-modified sulfonated bacterial cellulose scaffolds combined with FGFR2-modified ADSCs provide new sight and treatments for patients with urethral strictures.

Nanofibrous scaffolds based on bacterial cellulose crosslinked with oxidized sucrose

In this work, oxidized sucrose (OS), which is a safe bio-based and non-toxic polyaldehyde, was used as a crosslinker in defibrillated bacterial cellulose (BC) sponges obtained by freeze-drying. For mimicking the proteins' crosslinking, BC was first modified with an aminosilane to partially replace the OH groups on the BC surface with more reactive amino groups. Further, the aminosilane-grafted bacterial cellulose (BCA) was crosslinked with OS in different concentrations and thermally cured. Functionalized bacterial celluloses showed a good thermal stability, comparable to that of unmodified cellulose and much improved mechanical properties. A threefold increase in the compression strength was obtained for the BCA scaffold after crosslinking and curing. This was correlated with the uniform pore structure emphasized by the micro-CT and SEM analyses. The OS-crosslinked BCA scaffolds were not cytotoxic and showed a porosity of around 80 %, which was almost 100 % open porosity. This study shows that the crosslinking of aminated BC scaffolds with OS allows the obtaining of 3D cellulose structures with good mechanical properties and high porosity, suitable for soft tissue engineering. The results recommend this new method as an innovative approach to obtaining biomaterial scaffolds that mimic the natural extracellular matrix.

Composite Scaffolds Based on Bacterial Cellulose for Wound Dressing Application.

Wound dressing materials fabricated using biocompatible polymers have become quite relevant in medical applications, and one such material is bacterial cellulose (BC) with exceptional properties in terms of biocompatibility, high purity, crystallinity (∼88%), and high water holding capacity. However, the lack of antibacterial activity slightly restricts its application as a wound dressing material. In this work, polycaprolactone (PCL) was first impregnated into the BC matrix to fabricate flexible bacterial cellulose-based PCL membranes (BCP), which was further functionalized with antibiotics gentamicin (GEN) and streptomycin (SM) separately, to form wound dressing composite scaffolds to aid infectious wound healing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results confirmed the presence of characteristic PCL and cellulose peaks in the composite scaffolds at 1720 cm-1, 3400 cm-1, and 2895 cm-1, respectively, explaining the successful interaction of PCL with the BC matrix, which is further corroborated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed the formation of highly crystalline BCP films (∼86%). In vitro studies of the BC and BCP scaffolds against baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells revealed their cytocompatible nature; also the wettability studies indicated the hydrophilicity of the developed scaffolds, qualifying the main criterion in wound dressing applications. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) of the drug loaded scaffolds showed the presence of sulfur in the composites. The prepared scaffolds also exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The release profiles initially indicated a burst release (6 h) followed by controlled release of GEN (∼42%) and SM (∼58%) from the prepared scaffolds within 48 h. Hence, these results interpret that the prepared drug-functionalized cellulosic scaffolds have great potential as a wound dressing material in biomedical applications.

MP22-12 CLINICAL APPLICATION OF DOUBLE-MODIFIED SULFATED BACTERIAL CELLULOSE SCAFFOLD MATERIAL LOADED WITH FGFR2-MODIFIED ADIPOSE STEM CELLS IN LOWER URINARY TRACT RECONSTRUCTION

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP22-12 CLINICAL APPLICATION OF DOUBLE-MODIFIED SULFATED BACTERIAL CELLULOSE SCAFFOLD MATERIAL LOADED WITH FGFR2-MODIFIED ADIPOSE STEM CELLS IN LOWER URINARY TRACT RECONSTRUCTION Zhenpeng Zhu, Jiayu Yang, Xing Ji, Yudong Zheng, Jian Lin, and Liqun Zhou Zhenpeng ZhuZhenpeng Zhu More articles by this author , Jiayu YangJiayu Yang More articles by this author , Xing JiXing Ji More articles by this author , Yudong ZhengYudong Zheng More articles by this author , Jian LinJian Lin More articles by this author , and Liqun ZhouLiqun Zhou More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002561.12AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Urethral stricture and restenosis is one of the thorny problems in urology, and both autologous tissues and synthetic materials previously used in clinical lower urinary tract repair have certain shortcomings.Autologous tissues are prone to many problems such as limited access sites and access site complications. Previously used materials such as ADMG or SIS are more expensive and have poor results, especially in patients with long urethral strictures. This study focuses on novel tissue-engineered urethra, which provides new ideas and methods for urethral repair in clinical practice. METHODS: The doubly modified sulfated bacterial cellulose (BC) scaffold material (DMBC) was constructed from bacterial extracts by dual modification (laser perforation and selective sulfur modification) and tested for mechanical properties and cytotoxicity. Subsequently, adipose stem cells (ASCs) were isolated from in vitro adipose tissue and were continuously overexpressed with FGFR2 factor by constructing FGFR2 overexpression vector and lentiviral infection, and the corresponding functional assays were performed. FGFR2-modified ASCs were subsequently loaded on DMBC and applied to a New Zealand rabbit urethral defect model, and histological and imaging assays were performed postoperatively. RESULTS: The dual-modified DMBC scaffold material is a novel tissue-engineered scaffold material with good biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity and degradability. By constructing the tissue-engineered urethra with the dual-modified DMBC scaffold material and FGFR2-modified ASCs, it could be better used for the repair of urethral defects in the New Zealand rabbit urethral defect model, which showed good efficacy after surgery, and histology and imaging showed that the repaired site tissue was close to normal urethral tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Dual-modified DMBC scaffold material loaded with FGFR2-modified ASCs can be used as a novel tissue-engineered urethral material for injury repair of the lower urinary tract. Source of Funding: This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.51973018, 51773018, 82070704); Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission Projects (No. Z191100002019017, Z171100001017093); Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (FRF-TP-17-001A2); Key Research and Development Projects of People’s Liberation Army (BWS17J036) © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e376 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Zhenpeng Zhu More articles by this author Jiayu Yang More articles by this author Xing Ji More articles by this author Yudong Zheng More articles by this author Jian Lin More articles by this author Liqun Zhou More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Oxidized bacterial cellulose reinforced nanocomposite scaffolds for bone repair

Bone tissue engineering has been widely used in promoting the repair and regeneration of bone defects. Tissue-engineered bone scaffolds can simulate the extracellular matrix environment and induce the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. The first issues to be considered when constructing bone repair scaffolds include biocompatibility, stress resistance, degradability and stability. Here, a low-cost manufacturing introduces a new bone repair composite scaffold (CS/OBC/nHAP). The scaffolds were composed of only natural derived components, including nano hydroxyapatite (nHAP) formed by in-situ crystallization of Ca2+/PO42- solution and evenly dispersed in oxidized bacterial cellulose (OBC) and chitosan (CS) scaffolds. The experimental results showed that compared with CS/nHAP scaffold, CS/OBC/nHAP scaffold has significantly improve mechanical properties and water retention performance, and has a more stable degradation rate. Cell experiments showed that the CS/OBC/nHAP scaffold has good biocompatibility and significantly promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells. The rat skull defect model further proves that the CS/OBC/nHAP scaffold could induce the formation of bone tissue. Meanwhile, H&E staining experiment show that the CS/OBC/nHAP scaffold has good stability in vivo and could better promote the formation of bone tissue.

Production and characterization of bacterial cellulose scaffold from Acetobacter sp. for tissue engineering

Nanocomposites based on bacterial cellulose in combination with osteogenic growth peptide for bone repair: cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic evaluationsRaquel Mantuaneli Scarel-Caminagaa, Sybele Saskab, Leonardo Pereira Franchic, Raquel A. Santose, Ana Maria Minarelli Gaspara, Ticiana S.O. Capotea, Sidney José Lima Ribeirob, Younés Messaddeqb, Reinaldo Marchetto b, Catarina S. Takahashic d

Biofunctionalised bacterial cellulose scaffold supports the patterning and expansion of human embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitor cells

BackgroundStem cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease are a promising approach in regenerative medicine and are now moving towards early stage clinical trials. However, a number of challenges remain including the ability to grow stem cells in vitro on a 3-dimensional scaffold, as well as their loss, by leakage or cell death, post-implantation. These issues could, however, be helped through the use of scaffolds that support the growth and differentiation of stem cells both in vitro and in vivo. The present study focuses on the use of bacterial cellulose as an in vitro scaffold to promote the growth of different stem cell-derived cell types. Bacterial cellulose was used because of its remarkable properties such as its wettability, ability to retain water and low stiffness, all of which is similar to that found in brain tissue.MethodsWe cultured human embryonic stem cell-derived progenitor cells on bacterial cellulose with growth factors that were covalently functionalised to the surface via silanisation. Epifluorescence microscopy and immunofluorescence were used to detect the differentiation of stem cells into dopaminergic ventral midbrain progenitor cells. We then quantified the proportion of cells that differentiated into progenitor cells and compared the effect of growing cells on biofunctionalised cellulose versus standard cellulose.ResultsWe show that the covalent functionalisation of bacterial cellulose sheets with bioactive peptides improves the growth and differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into dopaminergic neuronal progenitors.ConclusionsThis study suggests that the biocompatible material, bacterial cellulose, has potential applications in cell therapy approaches as a means to repair damage to the central nervous system, such as in Parkinson’s disease but also in tissue engineering.

Physical, functional and biochemical features of Nanoskin® bacterial cellulose scaffold as a potential carrier for cell transference

We evaluated the feasibility of Nanoskin®, a bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofiber membrane, as a potential scaffold for cell transference therapy. Nanoskin® does not induce lymphocyte proliferation, but it does not kill lymphocytes. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and lymphocytes produced significantly elevated amounts of interleukin (IL)-10 (p = 0.0005; p = 0.02) when in contact with Nanoskin®. In conclusion, the Nanoskin® can be a promising biomaterial for use as a cell carrier-scaffold in cell transference therapies.