Organ Weaving - A New Strategy for Artificial Organ Development

Liberski, Albert R.; Delaney, Joseph T.; Schaefer, Hendrik W.; Perelaer, Jolke; Schubert, Ulrich S.

Abstract:

The concept of ‘‘organ weaving’’ is presented, a fabrication technique that can be an attractive option for the development of artificial tissues and organs. ‘‘Living threads’’ are created by immersing threads that are soaked in a CaCl2 solution into a sodium-alginate-loaded cell suspension bath, encapsulating the cells and creating a bio-friendly, easily manageable starting material for building up larger scaffold structures. Such living threads have the advantage of being a particularly mild culturing medium for mammalian cells, protecting the cells during subsequent processing steps from dehydration and other rapid changes in the chemistry of the surrounding environment. Connecting different types of threads into 3D objects gives unique opportunities to address tissue engineering challenges.

Year:

2011

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

Macromolecular Bioscience

Volume:

11

Pages:

1491-1498