Neonatal Human Dermal Fibroblasts Immobilized in RGD-Alginate Induce Angiogenesis

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Susana G Guerreiro (Author) Other; Maria J Oliveira (Author) FCUP; Mario A Barbosa (Author) Other; Raquel Soares (Author) FMUP; Pedro L Granja (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Cell Transplantation

Vol. 23

Pages: 945-957

ISSN: 0963-6897

Publisher: SAGE

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 12 Citations

Scopus - 17 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental biotechnology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-SEV

DOI: 10.3727/096368913x670183

Abstract (EN): Promoting angiogenesis in a damaged tissue is a major challenge for tissue regeneration. Recent findings in tissue engineering suggest that fibroblasts (FBs) play an important role in orchestrating the angiogenic process. Fibroblasts maintain the structural integrity of connective tissue by continuously secreting growth factors and extracellular matrix precursors, which are essential for endothelial cell (EC) adhesion and spreading, thus playing a crucial role in angiogenesis. We hypothesized that FBs immobilized in alginate gels grafted with the RGD peptidic sequence could influence the recruitment of ECs to improve vascularization. In this work, the modulation of immobilized human FBs within the 3D synthetic extracellular matrix was assessed. Experiments using cocultures of ECs and FBs in indirect contact as well as angiogenic assays were performed to assess the influence of FBs immobilized in RGD-alginate in ECs' viability, stabilization, sprouting, and assembly into capillary-like structures. This study demonstrates the ability of FBs immobilized within RGD-alginate microspheres to modulate and support capillary-like structures' assembly. These findings indicate that the microenvironment created by these stromal cells in the scaffold modulates capillary morphogenesis, thus stimulating angiogenesis in situ and can potentially be used in regenerative medicine in clinical scenarios where vascularization is essential.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13