Advances in cell coculture membranes recapitulating in vivo microenvironments

Jin Yoo; Youngmee Jung; Kookheon Char; Yeongseon Jang

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.07.014

Advances in cell coculture membranes recapitulating in vivo microenvironments

Trends Biotechnol. 2023 Feb;41(2):214-227. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.07.014. Epub 2022 Aug 24.

Authors

Jin Yoo¹, Youngmee Jung², Kookheon Char³, Yeongseon Jang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
² Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, YU-KIST Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
³ School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Electronic address: y.jang@ufl.edu.

PMID: 36030108
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.07.014

Abstract

Porous membranes play a critical role in in vitro heterogeneous cell coculture systems because they recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment to mediate physical and biochemical crosstalk between cells. While the conventionally available Transwell® system has been widely used for heterogeneous cell coculture, there are drawbacks to precise control over cell-cell interactions and separation for implantation. The size and numbers of the pores and the thickness of the porous membranes are crucial in determining the efficiency of paracrine signaling and direct junctions between cocultured cells, and significantly impact on the performance of heterogeneous cell cultures. These opportunities and challenges have motivated the design of advanced coculture platforms through improvement of the structural and functional properties of porous membranes.

Keywords: cell microenvironment; cell–cell interaction; in vitro coculture; porous membrane.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Cell Communication*
Cell Culture Techniques*
Coculture Techniques