One-Step Rapid Fabrication of Cell-Only Living Fibers

authors	Sousa, AR; Martins-Cruz, C; Oliveira, MB; Mano, JF
nationality	International
journal	ADVANCED MATERIALS
author keywords	biomaterial-free constructs; cell therapies; fiber-shaped tissue; scaffold-free cellular aggregates; tissue engineering
keywords	EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX; ANGIOGENESIS; VASCULARIZATION; MORPHOGENESIS; SPHEROIDS; HYDROGELS; HEALTH
abstract	Cellular aggregates are used as relevant regenerative building blocks, tissue models, and cell delivery platforms. Biomaterial-free structures are often assembled either as 2D cell sheets or spherical microaggregates, both incompatible with free-form deposition, and dependent on challenging processes for macroscale 3D upscaling. The continuous and elongated nature of fiber-shaped materials enables their deposition in unrestricted multiple directions. Cellular fiber fabrication has often required exogenously provided support proteins and/or the use of biomaterial-based sacrificial templates. Here, the rapid (<24 h) assembly of fiberoids is reported: living centimeter-long scaffold-free fibers of cells produced in the absence of exogenous materials or supplements. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell fiberoids can be easily modulated into complex multidimensional geometries and show tissue-invasive properties while keeping the secretion of trophic factors. Proangiogenic properties studied on a chick chorioallantoic membrane in an ovo model are observed for heterotypic fiberoids containing endothelial cells. These micro-to-macrotissues may find application as morphogenic therapeutic and tissue-mimetic building blocks, with the ability to integrate 3D and 4D full biological materials.
publisher	WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
issn	0935-9648
isbn	1521-4095
year published	2020
volume	32
issue	2
digital object identifier (doi)	10.1002/adma.201906305
web of science category	Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Chemistry, Physical; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Physics, Applied; Physics, Condensed Matter
subject category	Chemistry; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Materials Science; Physics
unique article identifier	WOS:000498465700001