1. Hyaluronan based hydrogels provide an improved model to study megakaryocyte-matrix interactions.
- Author
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Currao M, Malara A, Di Buduo CA, Abbonante V, Tozzi L, and Balduini A
- Subjects
- Cell Differentiation drug effects, Cell-Matrix Junctions drug effects, Cells, Cultured, Glucuronosyltransferase metabolism, Hematopoietic Stem Cells cytology, Hematopoietic Stem Cells drug effects, Hematopoietic Stem Cells metabolism, Humans, Hyaluronan Receptors metabolism, Hyaluronan Synthases, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Isoenzymes metabolism, Megakaryocytes drug effects, Megakaryocytes enzymology, Molecular Weight, Thrombopoiesis drug effects, Tissue Scaffolds chemistry, Cell-Matrix Junctions metabolism, Extracellular Matrix metabolism, Hyaluronic Acid pharmacology, Hydrogels pharmacology, Megakaryocytes cytology, Models, Biological
- Abstract
Hyaluronan (HA) is a glycosamminoglican involved in cell biology as well as a relevant polymer for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Megakaryocytes (Mks) are immersed in a mesh of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that regulate their maturation in the bone marrow (BM) and the release of platelets into the bloodstream. While fibrous ECMs such as collagens and fibronectin have been demonstrated to differently regulate Mk function and platelet release, the role of HA, that fills the majority of the BM extracellular interstitial space, has not been investigated so far. Here we demonstrated that, although human Mks express HA receptors, they are not affected by HA in terms of in vitro differentiation, maturation and platelet formation. Importantly, chemical properties of HA were exploited to generate hydrogels with entrapped ECMs that represent a useful model to more closely mimic the tridimensional characteristics of the BM environment for studying Mk function. In conclusion, in this work we demonstrated that HA is an ideal candidate for a 3D ex vivo model of human BM ECM component environment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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