Descripción del proyecto
Transformar el futuro de la reparación de tejidos
El envejecimiento de la población mundial subraya la necesidad cada vez más urgente de buscar soluciones eficaces para reparar los tejidos. La medicina regenerativa ha demostrado ser prometedora en la reparación de tejidos dañados, pero los estudios señalan problemas a largo plazo de degeneración y falta de integración con los tejidos circundantes. Dichos problemas se deben a una interacción insuficiente entre la célula y el material, así como a la pérdida de potencia celular cuando se cultiva en sustratos bidimensionales. Las células madre ofrecen una alternativa esperanzadora, pero es necesario mejorar el control de la interacción entre la célula y el material para mantener a largo plazo las construcciones de ingeniería hística. El equipo del proyecto CELL HYBRIDGE, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, se ha propuesto abordar estos retos mediante construcciones de ingeniería capaces de controlar activamente la quiescencia, proliferación y diferenciación de las células madre en un diseño biomimético inspirado en el nicho de las células madre mesenquimatosas.
Objetivo
Aging worldwide population demands new solutions to permanently restore damaged tissues, thus reducing healthcare costs. Regenerative medicine offers alternative therapies for tissue repair. Although first clinical trials revealed excellent initial response after implantation of these engineered tissues, long-term follow-ups demonstrated that degeneration and lack of integration with the surrounding tissues occur. Causes are related to insufficient cell-material interactions and loss of cell potency when cultured in two-dimensional substrates, among others.
Stem cells are a promising alternative due to their differentiation potential into multiple lineages. Yet, better control over cell-material interactions is necessary to maintain tissue engineered constructs in time. It is crucial to control stem cell quiescence, proliferation and differentiation in three-dimensional scaffolds while maintaining cells viable in situ. Stem cell activity is controlled by a complex cascade of signals called “niche”, where the extra-cellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the cells play a major role. Designing scaffolds inspired by this cellular niche and its ECM may lead to engineered tissues with instructive properties characterized by enhanced homeostasis, stability and integration with the surrounding milieu.
This research proposal aims at engineering constructs where scaffolds work as stem cell delivery systems actively controlling cell quiescence, proliferation, and differentiation. This challenge will be approached through a biomimetic design inspired by the mesenchymal stem cell niche. Three different scaffolds will be combined to achieve this purpose: (i) a scaffold designed to maintain cell quiescence; (ii) a scaffold designed to promote cell proliferation; and (iii) a scaffold designed to control cell differentiation. To prove the design criteria the evaluation of stem cell quiescence, proliferation, and differentiation will be assessed for musculoskeletal regenerative therapies.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-STG - Starting GrantInstitución de acogida
6200 MD Maastricht
Países Bajos