In CoEBoC, the development of the human-based multi-tissue in vitro platform including human brain organ and innervation is the main focus. Here, together with Associate Professor Oommen P Oommen’s team NeuroGroup aimed in developing a brain mimetic 3D scaffold that supports human neuronal growth.
Culturing of human pluripotent stem cell derived neurons in 3D matrix is extremely challenging as neurons are very sensitive cells and require tailored composition, viscoelasticity, and chemical cues. Here, we identified the key chemical cues necessary for designing neuronal matrix that trap the cell-produced ECM and neurotrophic factors, remodel the matrix and supports neurite outgrowth. This tailored injectable scaffold possesses self-healing and shear-thinning property which is useful to design injectable gels to study neurobiology, disease pathology, and disease modeling.
This work was supported by the Academy of Finland and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Program.
Samanta S, Ylä-Outinen L, Rangasami V, Narkilahti S and Oommen OP. Bidirectional cell-matrix interaction dictates neuronal network formation in a brain mimetic 3D scaffold. Acta Biomaterialia 2021.