Extracellular Matrix News Volume 2.00 | Jan 6 2011

Autologous Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering  
Researchers report a method to prepare autologous extracellular matrix (aECM) scaffolds by combining culture of autologous cells in a three dimensional template, decellularization, and template removal. The aECM scaffolds showed excellent biocompatibility when implanted. [Biomaterials]

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Human Protein Improves Muscle Function of Muscular Dystrophy Mice
A novel potential therapy based on a natural human extracellular matrix protein significantly slows muscle damage and improves function in mice who have the same genetic mutation as boys with the most common form of muscular dystrophy. [Press release from Brown University discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

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Dentin Matrix Protein 1 Induces Membrane Expression of VE-Cadherin on Endothelial Cells and Inhibits VEGF-Induced Angiogenesis by Blocking VEGFR-2 Phosphorylation
Researchers demonstrated that the extracellular matrix protein, dentin matrix protein 1, induced the expression of VE-cadherin, a key regulator of intercellular junctions and contact inhibition of growth of endothelial cells that is also known to modulate VEGFR-2 activity, the major high affinity receptor for VEGF. [Blood]

Biglycan Recruits Utrophin to the Sarcolemma and Counters Dystrophic Pathology in mdx Mice
Researchers show that the extracellular matrix protein biglycan regulates utrophin expression in immature muscle and that recombinant human biglycan increases utrophin expression in cultured myotubes. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

A Fibrin Patch-Based Enhanced Delivery of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Vascular Cell Transplantation in a Porcine Model of Postinfarction LV Remodeling
Findings demonstrate a promising therapeutic potential of using these human embryonic stem cell-derived vascular cell types and the mode of patch delivery. [Stem Cells]

Chimeric Fibronectin Matrix Mimetic as a Functional Growth- and Migration-Promoting Adhesive Substrate
Researchers have developed recombinant fibronectin fragments that mimic the effects of extracellular matrix fibronectin on cell function by coupling the cryptic heparin-binding fragment of fibronectin’s first type III repeat (FNIII1H) to the integrin-binding domain (FNIII8-10). [Biomaterials]

Role of Material-Driven Fibronectin Fibrillogenesis in Cell Differentiation
Researchers demonstrate cell-free, material-induced fibronectin fibrillogenesis into a biological matrix with enhanced cellular activities. [Biomaterials]

A Sandwich Model for Engineering Cartilage with Acellular Cartilage Sheets and Chondrocytes
Acellular cartilage can provide a native extracellular matrix for cartilage engineering. However, it is difficult for cells to migrate into acellular cartilage because of its non-porous structure. The aim of this study was to establish a sandwich model for engineering cartilage with acellular cartilage sheets and chondrocytes. [Biomaterials]

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Photo Cross-Linking of Fibrin-Based Engineered Tissue
The purpose of this work was to investigate the use of a ruthenium-sodium persulfate cross-linking system to form dityrosine in fibrin-based engineered tissue. [Biomaterials]

Self-Assembly of Elastin-Based Peptides into the ECM: The Importance of Integrins and the Elastin Binding Protein in Elastic Fiber Assembly
Short elastin mimetic peptide sequences, EM-19 and EM-23, were engineered to mimic the active motifs of human elastin in hopes that they can stimulate extracellular matrix development in synthetic polymer scaffolds. [Biomacromolecules]

Molecularly-Designed Alginate Hydrogels Susceptible to Local Proteolysis as 3D Cellular Microenvironments
Results demonstrate that the co-incorporation of matrix metalloproteinase-labile peptides in cell-adhesive RGD-alginate hydrogels improved their performance as extracellular matrix analogues, providing a more dynamic and physiologic 3D cellular microenvironment. [Acta Biomater]

Electrostatic Effects on Nanofiber Formation of Self-Assembling Peptide Amphiphiles
Understanding the controlled formation of the hydrocolloid gels composed of peptide amphiphile nanofibers can lead researchers to develop in situ gel forming bioactive collagen mimetic nanofibers for various tissue engineering studies including bioactive surface coatings. [J Colloid Interface Sci]

Halozyme Therapeutics to Present at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 12
Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. announced its participation in the 29th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference to be held on January 9-13, 2011 in San Francisco. [Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. Press Release]

U-M Lab Takes Top Honors in Worldwide Protein Prediction Competition
The University of Michigan (U-M) Health System took top honors in the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction, a biennial scientific competition to test protein structure and function prediction methods developed by laboratories all over the world. [University of Michigan Health System Press Release]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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