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Polymers
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Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine
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Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2020) | Viewed by 13850

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yongsung Hwang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan-si 31538, Republic of Korea
Interests: biomaterials; 3D bioprinting; extracellular matrix remodeling; stem cell fate determination; organ-on-a-chip models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although human pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and their derivatives have a great potential for repairing damaged tissues and treating various debilitating diseases, there have been biological and engineering challenges to be overcome, which include the in vitro expansion of stem cells without phenotypic changes, target tissue-specific differentiation of stem cells, and the in vivo survival and engraftment of stem cells upon transplantation. Therefore, there have been numerous attempts to develop polymer-based biomimetic 3D scaffolds to regulate various cellular functions of encapsulated or embedded cells within 3D scaffolds. This biomimetic matrix could not only provide native extracellular matrix-like bioengineered microenvironments for encapsulated or embedded cells, but also recapitulate cell–matrix/cell–cell interactions that play a critical role in maintaining the physiological phenotypes of cells as well as enhancing in vivo functions upon transplantation.


This Special Issue of Polymers, entitled ‘Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine’, will cover a broad range of the most exciting research topics, addressing recent findings and advancements on the synthesis of biomimetic polymers, preparation of 3D biomimetic scaffolds, biomimetic matrix-mediated in vitro stem cell differentiation and in vivo tissue regeneration, development of biomimetic polymer-based bioinks for 3D printing, etc. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, short communications, and review articles.

Prof. Yongsung Hwang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biomimetic polymers
  • 3D printing
  • 3D scaffolds
  • Stem cell niche
  • Tissue engineering
  • Regenerative medicine
  • Bioinks
  • Hydrogels

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 6667 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Biocompatibility of Multi-Layered, 3D Bio-Printed Artificial Vessels Composed of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells
by Eui Hwa Jang, Jung-Hwan Kim, Jun Hee Lee, Dae-Hyun Kim and Young-Nam Youn
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030538 - 2 Mar 2020
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4780
Abstract
Artificial vessels capable of long-term patency are essential clinical tools in vascular surgery that involves small vessels. On-going attempts to develop artificial vessels that complements restenosis have not been entirely successful. Here, we report on the fabrication of small-sized artificial vessels using a [...] Read more.
Artificial vessels capable of long-term patency are essential clinical tools in vascular surgery that involves small vessels. On-going attempts to develop artificial vessels that complements restenosis have not been entirely successful. Here, we report on the fabrication of small-sized artificial vessels using a three-dimensional bio-printer. The fabrication employed biodegradable polycaprolactone and autologous MSCs harvested from the bone-marrow of canines. The MSCs were cultured and differentiated into endothelial-like cells. After confirming differentiation, artificial vessels comprising three-layers were constructed and implanted into the arteries of canines. The autologous MSCs printed on artificial vessels (cell-derived group) maintained a 64.3% patency (9 of 14 grafts) compared with artificial vessels without cells (control group, 54.5% patency (6 of 11 grafts)). The cell-derived vessels (61.9 cells/mm2 ± 14.3) had more endothelial cells on their inner surfaces than the control vessels (21 cells/mm2 ± 11.3). Moreover, the control vessels showed acute inflammation on the porous structures of the implanted artificial vessels, whereas the cell-derived vessels exhibited fibrinous clots with little to no inflammation. We concluded that the minimal rejection of these artificial vessels by the immune system was due to the use of autologous MSCs. We anticipate that this study will be of value in the field of tissue-engineering in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine)
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7 pages, 1503 KiB  
Article
Application of DNA Quadruplex Hydrogels Prepared from Polyethylene Glycol-Oligodeoxynucleotide Conjugates to Cell Culture Media
by Shizuma Tanaka, Shinsuke Yukami, Yuhei Hachiro, Yuichi Ohya and Akinori Kuzuya
Polymers 2019, 11(10), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11101607 - 2 Oct 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3737
Abstract
Application of Na+-responsive DNA quadruplex hydrogels, which utilize G-quadruplexes as crosslinking points of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network as cell culture substrate, has been examined. PEG-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) conjugate, in which four deoxyguanosine (dG4) residues are tethered to both ends of PEG, was [...] Read more.
Application of Na+-responsive DNA quadruplex hydrogels, which utilize G-quadruplexes as crosslinking points of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network as cell culture substrate, has been examined. PEG-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) conjugate, in which four deoxyguanosine (dG4) residues are tethered to both ends of PEG, was prepared by modified high-efficiency liquid phase (HELP) synthesis of oligonucleotides and used as the macromonomer. When mixed with equal volume of cell culture media, the solution of PEG-ODN turned into stiff hydrogel (G-quadruplex hydrogel) as the result of G-quadruplex formation by the dG4 segments in the presence of Na+. PEG-ODN itself did not show cytotoxicity and the resulting hydrogel was stable enough under cell culture conditions. However, L929 fibroblast cells cultured in G-quadruplex hydrogel remained spherical for a week, yet alive, without proliferation. The cells gradually sedimented through the gel day by day, probably due to the reversible nature of G-quadruplex formation and the resulting slow rearrangement of the macromonomers. Once they reached the bottom glass surface, the cells started to spread and proliferate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine)
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15 pages, 4009 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Electrospun Poly(caprolactone) Fiber Diameter for Vascular Scaffolds to Maximize Smooth Muscle Cell Infiltration and Phenotype Modulation
by Dae Geun Han, Chi Bum Ahn, Ji-Hyun Lee, Yongsung Hwang, Joo Hyun Kim, Kook Yang Park, Jin Woo Lee and Kuk Hui Son
Polymers 2019, 11(4), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11040643 - 9 Apr 2019
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 4672
Abstract
Due to the morphological resemblance between the electrospun nanofibers and extracellular matrix (ECM), electrospun fibers have been widely used to fabricate scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Relationships between scaffold morphologies and cells are cell type dependent. In this study, we sought to determine an [...] Read more.
Due to the morphological resemblance between the electrospun nanofibers and extracellular matrix (ECM), electrospun fibers have been widely used to fabricate scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Relationships between scaffold morphologies and cells are cell type dependent. In this study, we sought to determine an optimum electrospun fiber diameter for human vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) regeneration in vascular scaffolds. Scaffolds were produced using poly(caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun fiber diameters of 0.5, 0.7, 1, 2, 2.5, 5, 7 or 10 μm, and VSMC survivals, proliferations, infiltrations, and phenotypes were recorded after culturing cells on these scaffolds for one, four, seven, or 10 days. VSMC phenotypes and macrophage infiltrations into scaffolds were evaluated by implanting scaffolds subcutaneously in a mouse for seven, 14, or 28 days. We found that human VSMC survival was not dependent on the electrospun fiber diameter. In summary, increasing fiber diameter reduced VSMC proliferation, increased VSMC infiltration and increased macrophage infiltration and activation. Our results indicate that electrospun PCL fiber diameters of 7 or 10 µm are optimum in terms of VSMC infiltration and macrophage infiltration and activation, albeit at the expense of VSMC proliferation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomimetic Polymer-Based Matrices for Regenerative Medicine)
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