Partial Coated Stem Cells with Bioinspired Silica as New Generation of Cellular Hybrid Materials

abstract

The manipulation of cell surfaces in anchorage-dependent cells can help overcome difficulties presented during cell handling and application. Silica-based protective mechanisms existing in free-floating microorganisms may be used as inspiration for sustaining human cell survival in suspension. Gathering on this, herein human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) are partially coated with a hard silica layer that operates as a supporting platform for individual cells in suspension. Inspired by the organic templates involved in biosilicification, a novel chitosan (CHT) derivative displaying fully natural quaternary amine moieties is synthetized via a rapid, one-pot strategy. Silicification is promoted on individual hASCs surfaces via a two-step process: a priming step onto previously adhered cell with this CHT derivative, followed by a biocompatible sol-gel process. hASCs holding a silica backpack exhibit enhanced cell survival in suspension conditions and can spread and acquire a more adherent phenotype. This new protocol for cell-surface modification also provides a new generation of hybrid materials with functionalization of the silica backpack, which can be applied to different areas such as tissue engineering, biosensing, drug delivery, and targeted cell-based therapies.

subject category

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Chemistry, Physical; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Physics, Applied; Physics, Condensed Matter

authors

Maciel, MM; Correia, TR; Gaspar, VM; Rodrigues, JMM; Choi, IS; Mano, JF

Groups

5 - biomedical and biomimetic materials

Projects

Bioengineered autonomous cell-biomaterials devices for generating humanised micro- tissues for regenerative medicine (ATLAS)

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)

Metodologias eficientes para a conjugação de polissacarídeos naturais com péptidos para obtenção de membranas multifuncionais para regeneração periodontal. (COP2P)

Dispositivos Supramoleculares Auto-Regulados baseados na Complementaridade dos Pares de Base do ADN: Uma Tecnologia Biomimética e com Reconheciemnto Molecular para Isolar Células Específicas para Aplicações Biomédicas (SUPRASORT)

Collaboratory for Emerging Technologies, CoLab (EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES)

Marine Origin Biopolymers as Innovative Building Blocks from the Sea for the Development of Bioresorbable Multilayered Membranes for guided bone regeneration (BLUETEETH)

acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the European Research Council (ERC) for project ATLAS (ERC2014-ADG-669858) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Ph.D. grant PD/BD/139117/2018 (M.M.M.). This work was developed within the scope of the projects CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020 and UIDP/50011/2020), COP2P (PTDC/QUI-QOR/30771/2017), and SUPRASORT (PTDC/QUI-OUT/30658/2017 and CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-030658) financed by national funds through FCT/MCTES and when appropriately cofinanced by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Programa Operacional Regional do Centro - Centro 2020, and within the scope of the Marine Biotechnology ERA-NET project BLUETEETH (ERA-MBT/0002/2015) financed by FCT under EU FP7 (Grant agreement number: 604814). Image acquisition was performed in the LiM facility of iBiMED, a node of Portuguese Platform of BioImaging (PPBI): POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122. To Sonia G. Patricio for SEM/EDS images acquisition.