PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Biological artificial organs like skin, vessels...now produced more easily

A platform developed for nanopattern-based alignment of multiple cell types and differentiation into desired cells. Implications for shortened drug development processes using artificial organs as an alternative for animal-based preclinical studies

Biological artificial organs like skin, vessels...now produced more easily
2021-03-08
(Press-News.org) A Korean research group has developed a technology that allows for the differentiation of stem cells into desired cell types, such as vascular mural cells or osteoblasts, without special pretreatment. This technology is expected to facilitate the production of artificial organs for preclinical studies or artificial tissues for transplants such as artificial skin and cardiac patches.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that the research group led by Dr. Youngmee Jung of the Center for Biomaterials has developed a new cell co-culture platform based on porous, ultrathin membranes that can culture multiple types of cells simultaneously to form tissues similar to those native to the human body.

"Cell co-culture," in which different types of cells are cultured together, is one of the methods used in making artificial organs that can be used as substitutes for animal-based preclinical studies, which are required for drug development. Because the human body consists of various types of cells, "cell co-culture" is crucial in simulating human tissues as closely as possible and is currently in use in most research fields that involve simulating biological tissues. However, simply mixing and culturing different types of cells together often causes fast-growing cells to overwhelm the others, leading to a lack of growth of the remaining cell types.

Among the cell culture platforms developed to resolve this issue, the platform using porous membranes had limitations in that the relative thickness of the membrane and the low density of the pores failed to induce active cell-cell interactions. Moreover, additional treatments were required to compensate for the differences between the environment of the platform and the in vivo environment, where cells actually grow.

To overcome such limitations, the researchers at KIST have developed a platform with membranes that are 10-times as thin as the existing ones and have a higher density of pores, enhancing cell?cell interactions. Using a soft and elastic polymeric material and enabling the elastic adjustments of the thin membrane, the new co-culture platform displays surface traits similar to those of the *extracellular matrix, providing cells with an environment similar to that of the body. Furthermore, considering that tissues in blood vessels, muscles, heart, and other parts of the human body are often aligned in certain directions, the platform developed by the research group at KIST is suitable for culturing tissues as it can align cells without any further treatment, through pore alignment and nanoscale pattern formations using the elasticity of the membrane.

* Extracellular matrix: A structure formed in cellularized microenvironments by proteins and other molecules secreted by local cells. Extracellular matrix provides structural support for cells and intercellular connections, playing important roles in cell-to-cell communication, including signal transduction, guiding cell fate decisions during embryonic development.

When vascular endothelial cells that form the inside of human blood vessels were co-cultured on this platform along with stem cells that can differentiate into vascular mural cells, the differentiation of stem cells into vascular mural cells was approximately 2.5-times greater than that observed on commercially available platforms, and vascular endothelial cells effectively formed cell-cell junctions, displaying a remarkable endothelial barrier function.

"This cell co-culture platform enables cell cultures that are simpler but more efficient than the currently available commercial platforms, and therefore displays high potential as an alternative tool for preclinical studies that can replace animal testing in pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and other fields that require biological evaluations." said Dr. Youngmee Jung of KIST.

This research was supported by the Nano Material Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), and the results have been published in the latest issue of 'Advanced Functional Materials', an international journal on functional materials.

INFORMATION:


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Biological artificial organs like skin, vessels...now produced more easily

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers develop improved recycling process for carbon fibres

2021-03-08
In recent years there has been an increased focus on the circular economy and a heightened demand for products made of recyclable materials, however many materials can only be recycled so many times before they begin to wear out. This is the case with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, non-biodegradable materials which, until now, have lacked a viable recycling method. CRFP composites are present in products such as wind turbines, aeroplane parts, vehicles such as cars and ships, and everyday technology such as laptops and mobile ...

Multisystem failure regarding frailty necessitates multisystem intervention

Multisystem failure regarding frailty necessitates multisystem intervention
2021-03-08
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Physicians understand frailty as a dysregulation among multiple systems in the body that make it less resilient and unable to recover completely when faced with a physical challenge such as injury or illness. "Defining frailty on a scientific level, however, has been a challenging task," explains END ...

Research offers insights on how night shift work increases cancer risk

Research offers insights on how night shift work increases cancer risk
2021-03-08
SPOKANE, Wash. - New clues as to why night shift workers are at increased risk of developing certain types of cancer are presented in a new study conducted at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane. ...

Post-Fontan liver fibrosis goes under the radar

Post-Fontan liver fibrosis goes under the radar
2021-03-08
It is well-known that patients who undergo Fontan surgery slowly develop liver fibrosis for years post-operatively. In the past decade, these incidences have been steadily increasing and this is due partly to the need for an accurate diagnostic method. A research group led by Dr. Daisuke Tokuhara, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine and Dr. Yuki Cho have found that the conventional methods of ultrasound elastography and biomarkers via blood tests do not show the actual status of postoperative liver ...

More than 2/3 of Indiana nursing home staff would take COVID-19 vaccine

2021-03-08
INDIANAPOLIS -- In a study conducted shortly before COVID-19 vaccines became available in the U.S., more than two-thirds of nursing home and assisted living staff in Indiana indicated willingness to receive a vaccine immediately or in the future. The study was led by researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University and the State of Indiana. Vaccine uptake by front-line staff is important because it will help protect against serious illness and death for the high-risk people who receive care in these facilities. "The vaccines offer the opportunity to return to a more normal life within the nursing ...

Invasive weed may help treat some human diseases, researchers find

Invasive weed may help treat some human diseases, researchers find
2021-03-08
Native to the southeastern United States, a weedy grass has spread northward to Canada and also made its way to Australia and Japan. Andropogon virginicus grows densely packed and up to seven feet tall, disrupting growth patterns of other plants and competing for resources. When burned, it grows back stronger. There is no way to effectively remove the weed once it has invaded. But there might be a way to use it to human advantage. An international team of researchers has found that A. virginicus extracts appear to be effective against several human diseases, including diabetes and cancer. The results were published on Dec. 31, 2020, in a special issue of Plants, titled ...

Novel hydrogen fuel purification membrane paves the way for greener future

Novel hydrogen fuel purification membrane paves the way for greener future
2021-03-08
Hydrogen has been hailed as the 'fuel of the future' owing to several reasons. First, compared to the conventionally used hydrocarbons, hydrogen exhibits higher energy yield. Second, the commercial use of hydrogen fuel, which yields only water as a byproduct product, would help mitigate the imminent global warming crisis by reducing the use of exhaustible and polluting fossil fuels. Thus, ongoing research has been focusing on efficient and environment-friendly ways to produce of hydrogen fuel. Solar hydrogen production through photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting reaction is an attractive "green" method of ...

Research foresees an end to deregulated competitive public transport

2021-03-08
Research from the University of Kent predicts an end to deregulated competitive pubic transport in the UK as a consequence of Covid-19 social distancing measures leading to drastically reduced ridership, requiring a major rethinking of the provision of public transport. This paper, published in Transport Policy, argues that the situation will require a fundamental approach to long-term policy for transport as a whole. This is an opportunity to reconstruct the system whilst addressing such problems as the environmental impact of transport, congestion and questions of transport justice such as accessibility ...

New inhibitor found to combat drug-resistant cancer cells

2021-03-08
A new substance could improve the treatment of persistent cancers. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the University of Greifswald have developed a new inhibitor that makes drug-resistant tumour cells respond again to chemotherapy. The new substance blocks a protein in the cancer cells that normally transports the cancer drugs back out of the cells. The results were published in the scientific journal Molecules. In addition to radiation therapy, cytotoxic agents, also known as chemotherapy, are frequently used to treat cancer. They prevent cells from dividing and thus cancer cells are unable to multiply unchecked. "Cytotoxic agents remain a very important form ...

Meet Turing structures in manmade interface

Meet Turing structures in manmade interface
2021-03-08
In 1952, Alan Turing, the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, proposed that certain repetitive natural patterns may be produced by the interaction of two specific substances through the "reaction-diffusion" process. In this system, activator promotes the reaction and inhibitor inhibits the reaction. When the two meet, the reaction diffuses. When the difference in diffusion coefficient between the two reaches a certain level, the high diffusion ratio between them will cause the system imbalance and induce the formation of periodic complex patterns. "Turing structure" exists widely in nature, such as the body patterns of zebras, the phyllotaxis of sunflowers, the follicle spacing of ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

[Press-News.org] Biological artificial organs like skin, vessels...now produced more easily
A platform developed for nanopattern-based alignment of multiple cell types and differentiation into desired cells. Implications for shortened drug development processes using artificial organs as an alternative for animal-based preclinical studies