Extracellular Matrix News Volume 7.03 | Jan 28 2016

Cell–Cell Communication Enhances the Capacity of Cell Ensembles to Sense Shallow Gradients during Morphogenesis
Scientists showed experimentally that, whereas individual mammary epithelial cells are incapable of sensing extremely weak gradients of a growth factor, cellular collectives in organotypic cultures exhibit reliable, gradient-driven, directional growth. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Induction of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chondrogenic Differentiation and Functional Cartilage Microtissue Formation for In Vivo Cartilage Regeneration by Cartilage Extracellular Matrix-Derived Particles
Scientists propose a method of preparing a novel cell carrier derived from natural cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), designated cartilage ECM-derived particles (CEDPs). Under microgravity culture conditions in a rotary cell culture system, bone marrow stromal cells can proliferate rapidly on the surface of CEDPs with high viability. [Acta Biomater] Abstract

Hypoxic Stellate Cells of Pancreatic Cancer Stroma Regulate Extracellular Matrix Fiber Organization and Cancer Cell Motility
Investigators showed that microenvironment remodeling by hypoxic pancreatic stellate cells promotes cancer cell motility through alteration of extracellular matrix fiber architecture. [Cancer Lett] Abstract

Decellularized Liver Extracellular Matrix as Promising Tools for Transplantable Bioengineered Liver Promotes Hepatic Lineage Commitments of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Supplementation of extracellular matrix from porcine decellularized liver containing liver-derived growth factors stimulated the albumin expression of porcine induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iPSC-Heps) during differentiation procedures. The iPSC-Heps were reseeded into decellularized liver scaffolds and the recellularized liver was cultured using a continuous perfusion system. [Tissue Eng Part A] Abstract

Monocytes Increase Human Cardiac Myofibroblast-Mediated Extracellular Matrix Remodeling through TGF-β1
Researchers assessed the influence of peripheral blood monocytes on human cardiac myofibroblast activity in a 3D extracellular matrix microenvironment. When cells were cultured under direct contact conditions, multiplex analysis of the co-culture media revealed an increase in the paracrine factors TGF-β1 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 compared to baseline. [Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol] Abstract

Immunomodulatory Effects of Amniotic Membrane Matrix Incorporated into Collagen Scaffolds
Researchers showed that scaffolds containing amniotic membrane matrix have significantly increased mechanical properties and that tendon cells within these scaffolds have increased metabolic activity even when the media is supplemented with the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta. [J Biomed Mater Res A] Abstract

MAGP2 Controls Notch via Interactions with RGD Binding Integrins: Identification of a Novel ECM – Integrin – Notch Signaling Axis
The authors report that MAGP2 (microfibril associated glycoprotein 2) cell type specific control of Notch is independent of individual Notch receptor-ligand combinations but dependent on interaction with RGD binding integrins. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

Fibronectin Deposition Participates in Extracellular Matrix Assembly and Vascular Morphogenesis
Scientists examined the role of polymerized fibronectin during vascular tubulogenesis using a three-dimensional (3D) cell-derived de-cellularized matrix. A fibronectin-rich 3D de-cellularized extracellular matrix was used as a scaffold to study vascular morphogenesis of endothelial cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

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PCRF Launches World’s First National Tissue Bank for Pancreatic Cancer Research
The world’s first national tissue bank for pancreatic cancer has launched in the UK. The Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund (PCRF) Tissue Bank brings together surgeons, pathologists, oncologists, researchers and database experts to co-ordinate a national – and ultimately international – resource that will help to develop new treatments and bring these to patients much faster. [Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund] Press Release

Feds Back New Heart Patch for Infants
Bioengineers at Rice University and Texas Children’s Hospital have won a National Institutes of Health grant to develop a new generation of patches to repair the damaged hearts of infants. [Rice University] Press Release

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NEW Scientist – Cell Biology (Semma Therapeutics)

NEW Professor – Bioengineering (University of Illinois)

Faculty Positions – Chemical and Biological Engineering Program (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Postdoctoral Position – Cartilage Stem Cell Biology (Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology/Genome Engineering (Amgen, Inc.)

Faculty Positions – Systems Biomedicine (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Bioengineering and Biology (University of Minnesota)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Ophthalmology Research (University of California, San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Interactions between Innate Immunity and Extracellular Matrix in Joint Diseases (Lund University)

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