Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are among the most investigated and potent types of cells in regenerative medicine. Their highly proliferative and multipotent differentiation capacities make them one of the most investigated and promising cell types for cell-based therapies. Many studies have shown that when MSCs are cultivated in vitro in traditional 2D systems, they gradually lose their differentiation and proliferative potentials and their immunogenicity is altered. The study and development of advanced 3D cultivation techniques aims to provide more physiologic culture conditions and better preserve the in vivo characteristics and functionalities of the cells. A very intriguing method for 3D cultivation is the use of cell-laden biomaterials.
A very promising candidate biomaterial for biological applications is cellulose. Found in the cellular walls of green plants and in some bacteria, it is a highly abundant, cheap, biocompatible material with tunable chemical, mechanical and physical properties.
The aim of this project is the synthesis of cellulose-based hydrogel scaffolds with appropriate characteristics to support physiological 3D cultivation of human MSCs in vitro. The growth, proliferative, migratory and differentiation capacities, as well as the morphological and immunophenotypic changes of MSCs cultivated in the cellulosic hydrogels are evaluated under different cultivation methods and parameters.
