Engineering 3D Tissue Models: Techniques and Applications in Regenerative Medicine

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Biology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 2548

Special Issue Editor

Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Interests: human skin; keratinocytes; endothelial cells; skin substitutes; stem cells; melanocytes; adipose-dervied stem cells; fat tissue; skin inflammation; immune cells; skin adipocyte progenitors
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Animal experimentation has long been used in science to study complex biological phenomena that cannot be studied using two-dimensional in vitro models. With time, it emerged that animal models do not fully resemble the real (patho-) physiological tissue environment, in particular when translated to human patients. Recently, 3D cell culture systems have been improved with new techniques and formulations that allow the culture of cell lines as well as organoids from primary tissues. In these conditions, tissue-engineered micro-tissues can orient themselves spatially, creating niches enriched in stem or differentiated cells specific to the tissue of origin. These tools allow precise and direct monitoring of physiological and pathological mechanisms and are often much more informative and versatile than in vivo tests. Thus, three-dimensional cell culture represents an excellent alternative to the animal model by mimicking the in vivo microenvironment. These innovative in vitro models can recapitulate the complexity of the tissue of origin, with different cellular components (epithelium, stroma, leukocytes) colonizing a matrix that reproduces the spatial conformation of the tissue vitro by mimicking the in vivo microenvironment without the use of animal models that are usually quite expensive and, in some instances, do not fully resemble the real pathophysiological environment. These tools can be essential for analyzing the physiological behavior of healthy cells and patient cells derived from several diseases such as cancers, metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and inherited pathologies allowing for a more accurate personalized medicine approach.

Dr. Agnes Klar
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • application of organoids
  • self-assembly method
  • dynamic perfusion bioreactor approach for tissue engineering
  • magnetic levitation
  • microfluidic 3D cell culture
  • body-on-a-chip
  • adipocyte in vitro platform to model metabolic diseases
  • skin irritation models
  • vascular blood-brain barrier in vitro
  • iPSC-derived models of healthy and diseased tissues
  • personalized medicine
  • integrated 3D cell culture models for preclinical drug development

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 6167 KiB  
Article
Collagen I Microfiber Promotes Brain Capillary Network Formation in Three–Dimensional Blood–Brain Barrier Microphysiological Systems
by Kimiko Nakayama-Kitamura, Yukari Shigemoto-Mogami, Marie Piantino, Yasuhiro Naka, Asuka Yamada, Shiro Kitano, Tomomi Furihata, Michiya Matsusaki and Kaoru Sato
Biomedicines 2024, 12(11), 2500; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12112500 - 31 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
Background: The blood–brain barrier (BBB) strictly regulates the penetration of substances into the brain, which, although important for maintaining brain homeostasis, may delay drug development because of the difficulties in predicting pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PKPD), toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics (TKTD), toxicity, safety, and efficacy in the central nervous [...] Read more.
Background: The blood–brain barrier (BBB) strictly regulates the penetration of substances into the brain, which, although important for maintaining brain homeostasis, may delay drug development because of the difficulties in predicting pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PKPD), toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics (TKTD), toxicity, safety, and efficacy in the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, BBB functional proteins show species differences; therefore, humanized in vitro BBB models are urgently needed to improve the predictability of preclinical studies. Recently, international trends in the 3Rs in animal experiments and the approval of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 have accelerated the application of microphysiological systems (MPSs) in preclinical studies, and in vitro BBB models have become synonymous with BBB–MPSs. Recently, we developed an industrialized humanized BBB–MPS, BBB–NET. In our previous report, we reproduced transferrin receptor (TfR)–mediated transcytosis with high efficiency and robustness, using hydrogels including fibrin and collagen I microfibers (CMFs). Methods: We investigated how adding CMFs to the fibrin gel benefits BBB-NETs. Results: We showed that CMFs accelerate capillary network formation and maturation by promoting astrocyte (AC) survival, and clarified that integrin β1 is involved in the mechanism of CMFs. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the quality control (QC) of CMFs is important for ensuring the stable production of BBB–NETs. Full article
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22 pages, 872 KiB  
Systematic Review
Update on the Study of Angiogenesis in Surgical Wounds in Patients with Childhood Obesity
by Cristina Chelmu Voda, Ioana Anca Stefanopol, Gabriela Gurau, Maria Andrada Hîncu, Gabriel Valeriu Popa, Olivia Garofita Mateescu, Liliana Baroiu and Mihaela Cezarina Mehedinti
Biomedicines 2025, 13(2), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13020375 - 5 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Background: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, plays a pivotal role in wound healing, particularly in surgical contexts. Methods and results: However, this process can be significantly impaired in patients with childhood obesity, resulting in delayed healing and additional [...] Read more.
Background: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, plays a pivotal role in wound healing, particularly in surgical contexts. Methods and results: However, this process can be significantly impaired in patients with childhood obesity, resulting in delayed healing and additional complications. The biological process of wound healing is complex, involving angiogenesis, cell proliferation, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. This review aims to explore recent advancements in research on angiogenesis in surgical wounds in patients with childhood obesity, with a focus on growth factors, inflammation, microcirculation, and innovative therapeutic strategies. Conclusions: It highlights therapeutic approaches such as the administration of growth factors and the application of biomaterials to enhance angiogenesis. Full article
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