CMB&RM seminar: Bioscaffolds and the Extracellular Matrix Direct Cell Differentiation
| Dates: | 4 October 2018 |
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| Times: | 11:00 - 12:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Dierdre Coombe |
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The tissue microenvironment is a major contributor to determining a cell’s fate and a key component of the microenvironment is the extracellular matrix (ECM). Bioscaffolds that mimic aspects of the tissue ECM are frequently used to enhance the regeneration of tissues. We have been using different approaches to prepare scaffolds for supporting soft tissue regeneration. These range from decellularisation of natural tissues or cell layers to leave an ECM upon which to seed cells, to the use of scaffolds prepared from silk proteins. Both silk sponges and electrospun silk scaffolds were tested for their cell compatibility and their physical characteristics. Fibroblasts and skeletal muscle myoblasts deposited extensive, organised matrices onto the silk scaffolds. These matrices were complex mixtures of structural and functional ECM glycoproteins that assist cells to adhere and proliferate. Interestingly, optimal myoblast differentiation occurred on scaffolds of particular stiffness and hydrophobicity even though all scaffolds became coated with ECM glycoproteins. Keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation patterns were very strikingly dictated by differences in the composition of the dermal fibroblast ECM upon which they were seeded. Keratinocyte gene expression patterns as revealed by microarray analyses and proteomic analyses of the fibroblast ECM confirmed these conclusions. Collectively we have shown that cell differentiation is directed by cues from the matrix proteins and the physical properties of the substrates on which they are grown. Thus, getting these things right is essential for successful tissue regeneration.
Speaker
Dierdre Coombe
Organisation: Curtin University
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Lecture Theatre
Michael Smith Building
Manchester
