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Fibrin Gel as Alternative Scaffold for Respiratory Tissue Engineering

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Abstract

Fibrin gel has proven a valuable scaffold for tissue engineering. Complex geometries can be produced by injection molding; it offers effective cell seeding and can be produced autologous. In order to evaluate its suitability for respiratory tissue engineering, we examined proliferation, functionality, and differentiation of respiratory epithelial cells on fibrin gel in comparison to culture on collagen-coated, microporous membranes. Respiratory epithelial cells formed a confluent layer by day 4, and proliferation showed no significant difference with respect to surface. Measurement of the transepithelial electrical resistance reflected the development of a confluent epithelial cell layer and the subsequent initiation of adequate ion-transfer processes. Appearance of ciliae could be detected at similar time points, and ciliary beating could be observed for cells on both surfaces. Histology and immunohistochemistry of cells grown on fibrin gel revealed the onset of adequate differentiation. As no significant differences in respiratory epithelial cells’ proliferation, function, and differentiation could be observed between cells grown on fibrin gel compared to cells on a collagen-coated, microporous surface, we concluded that fibrin gel might prove a suitable scaffold for respiratory tissue engineering and merits further investigation to overcome the limitations associated with scaffolds currently in use.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the START program of the Medical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen University.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing financial or other interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tissue Engineering & Textile Implants, Institute for Applied Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute of the RWTH University Hospital, Pauwelsstr. 20, Aachen, Germany

    Christian G. Cornelissen, Maren Dietrich, Thomas Schmitz-Rode & Stefan Jockenhoevel

  2. Department for Internal Medicine—Section for Pneumology, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, Aachen, Germany

    Christian G. Cornelissen & Stefan Krüger

  3. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, Aachen, Germany

    Jan Spillner

Authors
  1. Christian G. Cornelissen
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  2. Maren Dietrich
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  3. Stefan Krüger
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  4. Jan Spillner
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  5. Thomas Schmitz-Rode
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  6. Stefan Jockenhoevel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Jockenhoevel.

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Associate Editor Jennifer West oversaw the review of this article.

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Cornelissen, C.G., Dietrich, M., Krüger, S. et al. Fibrin Gel as Alternative Scaffold for Respiratory Tissue Engineering. Ann Biomed Eng 40, 679–687 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-011-0437-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-011-0437-8

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