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Scaffolds for Islets Vascularization
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Integrating Biofabrication Technologies
Unlocking the secrets of osteochondral regeneration has long been a daunting challenge, with the intricate interplay between cartilage and bone presenting formidable hurdles. However, a groundbreaking approach is on the horizon, poised to redefine the landscape of tissue regeneration: multiphasic scaffolds – the cornerstone of cutting-edge strategies aimed at mirroring the complexities of the osteochondral unit and nurturing the growth of implanted bone-marrow derived stem cells (BMSCs). Yet, amidst the promise, hurdles remain. Stem cell loss during expansion in vitro and the limited control over their behavior within scaffolds both in vitro and in vivo pose formidable challenges.
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Bioprinting in Space
In a new Pathfinder Open project, PULSE, we have partnered with different experts in space technology and use thereof to study how the Space environment could be working as an accelerator of ageing…
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New Hybrid Biofabrication technology
Many tissues in our body display gradients. These are not only biological gradients, but also structural, physical, and chemical ones, resulting in smoother variations of mechanical properties and cell functional activity.
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Kidney 3D in vitro models through bioprinting
At the Complex Tissue Regeneration department, we work hard to bridge the gap towards the dream of organs bioprinting. Step by step, we are now progressing towards understanding more and more in depth the requirements to bioprint different kidney cells, either derived from pluripotent stem cells or of adult species.
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Bioprinting through Levitation
Magnetic levitation offers the possibility to place cells in a precise position in space through controlling the magnetic forces applied to magnetized cells. This new biofabrication technique, at the interface between bioprinting and bioassembly, provides new ways to create large-scale biological constructs that can be used for regenerative medicine purposes.
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Published on: May 10, 2016
Category: Group Activities
Biofabrication strategies aiming at creating new solutions for the transplantation of islets of Langerhans for diabetic patients are becoming more and more appealing, thanks to their potential to more closely approach the complexity of the native environment. After having shown for the first time that bioprinting can be used to deliver islets of Lagerhans without affecting their viability, we further investigate the use of 3D printed functionalized scaffolds to recruit the host vasculature in a CAM model. Our results show that for an optimum concentration of bound vascular endothelial growth factor, vessels could be recruied without affecting their morphology. Furthermore, islets of Langerhans embedded in the core of the 3D printed constructs maintained their functionality to respond at different glucose regimes.
Although the road to clinical applications is still long and tortuous, these studies lay the first steps to possibly more efficient treatments for diabetic patients.
