Surface-modified magnetic human cells for scaffold-free tissue engineeringt

摘要

We report the magnetically-facilitated scaffold-free assembly of lung tissue mimicking two-layered multicellular clusters. Polymer-stabilized magnetic nanoparticles were deposited on surfaces of viable human cells (A549 and skin fibroblasts), allowing the formation of two-layered porous tissue prototypes. Tissue engineering aims at the fabrication of human tissues and organs de novo. In particular, for lung tissue engineering, the directed assembly of isolated human cells as building blocks is considered to be a promising approach. Normally, the cells are spatially arranged on artificial scaffolds accommodating the cells and providing them with structural support. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are regarded as a promising tool to assemble the magnetically-labelled cells into larger tissue prototypes and multicellular clusters and coatings. Magnetically-facilitated tissue engineering offers the scaffold-free arrangement of the cells allowing (i) avoiding the use of synthetic or natural scaffolds and (ii) fabricating of prototype tissues with elaborate morphologies. However, the scaffold-based tissue engineering approach can also benefit from the use of magnetically-labelled cells, especially when MNPs functionalized scaffolds are considered. In addition, magnetically-labelled tissues could be easily delivered or immobilised within the body guided by an external magnetic field or visualised using magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, the application of magnetic nanoparticles in human tissue engineering methodology is currently regarded as an advanced technique to drive tissue regeneration.