Injectable thermogel for 3D culture of stem cells

Madhumita Patel; Hyun Jung Lee; Sohee Park; Yelin Kim; Byeongmoon Jeong

doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.01.001

Injectable thermogel for 3D culture of stem cells

Biomaterials. 2018 Mar:159:91-107. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.01.001. Epub 2018 Jan 2.

Authors

Madhumita Patel¹, Hyun Jung Lee¹, Sohee Park¹, Yelin Kim¹, Byeongmoon Jeong²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, South Korea.
² Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, South Korea. Electronic address: bjeong@ewha.ac.kr.

PMID: 29316455
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.01.001

Abstract

Thermogel is an aqueous polymer solution that undergoes sol-to-gel transition as the temperature increases. Cells, growth factors, and signaling molecules can be incorporated simultaneously during the sol-to-gel transition. The cytocompatible procedure makes the thermogel an excellent platform for 3D culture of stem cells. This review focuses on the crucial questions that need to be addressed to achieve effective differentiation of stem cells into target cells, comprising low modulus, cell adhesion, and controlled supply of the growth factors. Recent progress in the use of thermogel as a 3D culture system of stem cells is summarized, and our perspectives on designing a new thermogel for 3D culture and its eventual application to injectable tissue engineering of stem cells are presented.

Keywords: 3D culture; Stem cell; Temperature-sensitivity; Thermogel; Tissue engineering.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Cell Adhesion / physiology
Cell Differentiation / physiology
Polymers / chemistry*
Stem Cells / cytology*
Temperature
Tissue Engineering / methods*

Substances

Polymers