Development of engineered 3D tissue constructs having photosynthetic capacity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21911
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 90:Biomedical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Women's Medical University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMIZU Tatsuya 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (40318100)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 組織工学 / 藻類 / 光合成 / 筋細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Algal strains that can survive and retain photosynthetic ability in the culture medium for animal cells were selected. The conditions for co-culture tissue engineering and culturing were examined in detail using animal muscle cells and the selected algae. As a result, we confirmed that algae/animal cell co-cultured tissues without cell damage can be prepared when the thickness is less than 0.3 mm. Based on the obtained results, we succeeded in engineering algae-containing myocardial tissue that beats spontaneously by using human iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes. These results can be regarded as the first step toward the development of three-dimensional muscle tissue with both photosynthetic and contractile capabilities.

Free Research Field

再生医療、組織工学、心筋再生、循環器内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究においてはヒトiPS細胞由来心筋細胞と藻類との共培養組織を作製し、自立拍動を呈する藻類含有心筋組織の作製に成功した。光合成で生体エネルギーを供給できる立体組織の作製は、これまでの学術に革新をもたらす世界的にも極めて独創的で挑戦的なものである。本研究成果は光合成能と収縮能をあわせ持つ立体筋組織の開発における第一歩とみなせる。今後より厚みを有した立体組織の作製が可能となれば、再生医療のみならず広範な学術分野に応用展開される可能性を有しており、学術的にも社会的にも大きな意義を持っていると考える。