LPP Inhibits Collective Cell Migration during Lung Cancer Dissemination Researchers showed that lipoma preferred partner (LPP) degraded N-cadherin in lung cancer, PC14PE6 cells via regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 15, and loss-of-LPP increases collective cell migration and dissemination consequently. [Oncogene] Abstract Engineered Composite Tissue as a Bioartificial Limb Graft To create an autologous, bio-artificial graft based on native extracellular matrix and patient derived cells, scientists decellularized rat and primate forearms by detergent perfusion and yielded acellular scaffolds with preserved composite architecture. They then repopulated muscle and vasculature with cells of appropriate phenotypes, and matured the composite tissue in a perfusion bioreactor under electrical stimulation in vitro. [Biomaterials] Abstract | Press Release | Video The Microwell-Mesh: A Novel Device and Protocol for the High Throughput Manufacturing of Cartilage Microtissues The authors describe the first microwell platform that incorporates a mesh to retain microtissues within discrete microwells; the microwell-mesh. They showed that bonding a nylon mesh with an appropriate pore size over the microwell openings allows single cells to pass through the mesh into the microwells during the seeding process, but subsequently retains assembled microtissues within discrete microwells. [Biomaterials] Full Article ADAMTS9-Mediated Extracellular Matrix Dynamics Regulates Umbilical Cord Vascular Smooth Muscle Differentiation and Rotation The secreted metalloprotease ADAMTS9 was shown to be necessary for murine umbilical cord vascular development. Restricting it to the cell surface using a gene trap allele, Adamts9Gt, impaired umbilical vessel elongation and radial growth via reduced versican proteolysis and accumulation of extracellular matrix. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract Modulation of Extracellular Matrix in Cancer Is Associated with Enhanced Tumor Cell Targeting by Bacteriophage Vectors Researchers investigated and quantified the effect of extracellular matrix (ECM) depletion on ECM composition (including collagen type I, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin and laminin), and how adeno-associated virus/phage adsorption, internalization, gene expression and therapeutic efficacy are subsequently affected. [Mol Cancer] Full Article Decoupling the Role of Stiffness from Other Hydroxyapatite Signaling Cues in Periosteal Derived Stem Cell Differentiation To isolate the contribution of mechanical cues from other hydroxyapatite (HA)-derived signals, scientists developed and characterized composite HA/gelatin scaffolds with different mineral contents along with a set of stiffness-matched HA-free gelatin scaffolds. Samples were seeded with human periosteal derived progenitor cells and cultured over seven days, analyzing their resultant morphology and gene expression. [Sci Rep] Full Article Extracellular Matrix Can Recover the Downregulation of Adhesion Molecules after Cell Detachment and Enhance Endothelial Cell Engraftment Researchers investigated if processes involved in cell preparation could initiate downregulation of adhesion-related survival signals, and further affect cell engraftment after transplantation. They demonstrated that cell detachment can cause downregulation of cell adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules, but no obvious cell anoikis, a form of apoptosis after cell detachment, was observed. [Sci Rep] Full Article Fibrin Supports Human Fetal Islet-Epithelial Cell Differentiation via p70s6k and Promotes Vascular Formation during Transplantation Scientists investigated how fibrin promotes human fetal pancreatic cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Fibrin-cultured human fetal pancreatic cells had significantly increased expression of PDX-1, glucagon, insulin, and VEGF-A, along with increased integrin αVβ3 and phosphorylated FAK and p70s6k. [Lab Invest] Abstract TGFβ1 Exacerbates Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability in a Mouse Model of Hepatic Encephalopathy via Upregulation of MMP9 and Downregulation of Claudin-5 Researchers assessed whether increased circulating transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) drives changes in tight junction protein expression and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) activity following acute liver failure. [Lab Invest] Abstract Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy Reveals Altered Collagen Microstructure in Usual Interstitial Pneumonia versus Healthy Lung Two-photon second harmonic generation (SHG) and excitation fluorescence microscopies were used to interrogate and quantify differences between intrinsic fibrillar collagen and elastin matrix signals in healthy, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, and usual interstitial pneumonia lung. [Resp Res] Abstract | Full Article |