Extracellular Matrix News Volume 2.04 | Feb 3 2011

TOP STORY

New 3D Nanoscaffold Could Revolutionize Human Tissue Engineering  
Researchers have created a three-dimensional electrospun scaffold on the nano scale that more effectively and efficiently facilitates cell and tissue growth in the laboratory. [Press release from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s discussing online prepublication in Biomaterials]

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Growth-Factor-Containing Nanoparticles Accelerate Healing of Chronic Wounds
Investigators have developed a novel system for delivery of growth factors to chronic wounds such as pressure sores and diabetic foot ulcers. In their work, the team reports fabricating nanospheres containing keratinocyte growth factor, a protein known to play an important role in wound healing, fused with elastin-like peptides. [Press release from Massachusetts General Hospital discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

Generic Drug May Improve the Effectiveness of Cancer Nanotherapies
Investigators describe experiments showing that the generic drug losartan, by modifying the network of collagen fibers that characterizes most solid tumors, improved the effectiveness of two nanotherapeutics against several types of cancer. [Press release from discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

Bioengineered Veins Could Help Patients Needing Bypass Surgery, Dialysis
New research demonstrates the capability of tissue-engineered vascular grafts that are immediately available at the time of surgery and are less likely to become infected or obstructed. The bioengineering method of producing veins shows promise in large- and small-diameter applications, such as for coronary artery bypass surgery and for vascular access in hemodialysis. [Press release from East Carolina University discussing online prepublication in Science Translational Medicine]

Self-Assembling Elastin-Like Peptides Growth Factor Chimeric Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds
Researchers demonstrate the fabrication of a fusion protein comprising of elastin-like peptides and keratinocyte growth factor. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Losartan Inhibits Collagen I Synthesis and Improves the Distribution and Efficacy of Nanotherapeutics in Tumors
Researchers found that losartan inhibited collagen I production by carcinoma-associated fibroblasts isolated from breast cancer biopsies. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Substantial Expression of Mature Elastin in Arterial Constructs
Results show that nontransfected cells in poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds in unsupplemented medium produced a substantial amount of mature elastin within three weeks and the elastic fibers had similar orientation as those in native arteries. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Cell Infiltration and Growth in a Low Density, Uncompressed Three Dimensional Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold
Researchers have developed a three dimensional cotton ball-like electrospun scaffold that consists of an accumulation of nanofibers in a low density and uncompressed manner. [Biomaterials]

Differences in Valvular and Vascular Cell Responses to Strain in Osteogenic Media
Researchers used tissue-engineered collagen gels containing human aortic smooth muscle cells and human aortic valvular interstitial cells as a model to investigate cell-mediated differences in early markers of calcification. [Biomaterials]

The Influence of the Scaffold Design on the Distribution of Adhering Cells After Perfusion Cell Seeding
Researchers describe a model system, in which the distribution of cells throughout tissue engineering scaffolds after perfusion seeding can be influenced by the pore architecture of the scaffold. [Biomaterials]

Engineering Ear Constructs with a Composite Scaffold to Maintain Dimensions
Researchers hypothesized that a permanent support in the form of a coiled wire embedded into a porous collagen scaffold will maintain the construct’s size and ear-specific shape. [ Tissue Eng Part A]

Three Dimensional Topography of Synthetic Scaffolds Induces Elastin Synthesis by Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells
Researchers evaluated the effect of scaffold topography (2D vs. 3D) on elastogenesis in adult human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs). They report that elastin gene expression by HCASMCs was increased by 2 fold following 4 days of culture in porous 3D polyurethane scaffolds. [ Tissue Eng Part A]

The Effect of Cell Seeding Density on the Cellular and Mechanical Properties of a Mechanostimulated Tissue Engineered Tendon
Researchers aimed to understand the implications of using high seeding densities (3, 5, and 10 million cells/ml) in a human umbilical vein (HUV) tendon model subjected to 1 hour of cyclic stretching per day at 2% strain and a frequency of 0.0167 Hz in a mechanostimulating bioreactor, on nutrient availability, cell viability and metabolism, and construct properties. [Tissue Eng Part A]

Sensing and Modulation of Invadopodia Across a Wide Range of Rigidities
Researchers used a combined analysis of tissue-derived model basement membrane and stromal matrices and synthetic materials to understand how substrate rigidity regulates invadopodia. [Biophys J]

Acidic Extracellular pH Promotes Activation of Integrin Alpha(v)Beta(3)
The computational and experimental results suggest a new and complementary mechanism of integrin activation regulation, with associated implications for cell adhesion and migration in regions of altered pH that are relevant to wound healing and cancer. [PLoS One]

Readily Available Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts
Researchers engineered vascular grafts using human allogeneic or canine smooth muscle cells grown on a tubular polyglycolic acid scaffold. [Sci Transl Med]

KCI Licenses Wright Medical’s GRAFTJACKET® Brand for Wound Care
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. announced an agreement to license Wright Medical Group, Inc.’s GRAFTJACKET® brand for use in marketing the LifeCell™ acellular human dermal-based regenerative tissue matrix for wound applications such as diabetic foot ulcers and venous stasis ulcers. [Kinetic Concepts, Inc. Press Release]

RXi Pharmaceuticals Initiates Development Program for Dermal Anti-Scarring Product Candidate
RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced further details regarding RXI-109, the company’s dermal anti-scarring candidate. [RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation Press Release]

Kensey Nash Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2011 Financial Results
Kensey Nash Corporation, a medical device company primarily focused on regenerative medicine for a wide range of medical procedures, reported the results for its second quarter ended December 31, 2010. [Kensey Nash Corporation Press Release]

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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)

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Lab Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies)

Lab Technologist – Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies)

Lab Technologist – Tissue Culture (STEMCELL Technologies)

Assistant Professor (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Center for Cellular and Molecular Engineering)

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Medical Microbiology/ Immunology (Lund University)

Research Assistant/Fellow in Biomedical Engineering (University of Glasgow)

Postdoctoral Fellow (Thomas Jefferson University)

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