Design of biomaterials for treatment of spinal cord injury

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16398
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yoshitomi Toru 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (20585799)
• Research Collaborator: YOSHIMOTO Keitaro 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 准教授 ; ZHENG Hangyu 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ペプチドナノファイバー / 間葉系幹細胞 / 光学活性 / 酸化ストレス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chirality effects on stem cell fate were investigated in three-dimensional culture using soft fibrous hydrogels consisting of self-assembled l- and d-form Fmoc-Phe-Phe-Cys networks photo-cross-linked by poly(ethylene glycol) (l- and d-gel, respectively). Encapsulated human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were all alive, spread, and grown in both hydrogels. Interestingly, the cells preferably spread and grew in l-gel compared to in d-gel under mixed induction, and cell osteogenesis and adipogenesis differentiation in d-gel were suppressed compared to in l-gel. These results revealed that stem cell function and fate can be regulated in three-dimensional hydrogel culture systems with chiral motifs.

Free Research Field

バイオマテリアル

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究より、間葉系幹細胞の機能が足場材料の光学活性にも影響されることが明らかとなった。今後、再生医療向けの足場材料の開発が重要になってくることから、本研究成果は、今後の足場材料の設計において、非常に有用な知見となる。