@article{mcgarry_sefat_suh_ali_gluck_2023, title={Comparison of NIH 3T3 Cellular Adhesion on Fibrous Scaffolds Constructed from Natural and Synthetic Polymers}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2313-7673"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010099}, DOI={10.3390/biomimetics8010099}, abstractNote={Polymer scaffolds are increasingly ubiquitous in the field of tissue engineering in improving the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue. Natural polymers exhibit better cellular adhesion and proliferation than biodegradable synthetics but exhibit inferior mechanical properties, among other disadvantages. Synthetic polymers are highly tunable but lack key binding motifs that are present in natural polymers. Using collagen and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as models for natural and synthetic polymers, respectively, an evaluation of the cellular response of embryonic mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3 line) to the different polymer types was conducted. The samples were analyzed using LIVE/DEAD™, alamarBlue™, and phalloidin staining to compare cell proliferation on, interaction with, and adhesion to the scaffolds. The results indicated that NIH3T3 cells prefer collagen-based scaffolds. PLA samples had adhesion at the initial seeding but failed to sustain long-term adhesion, indicating an unsuitable microenvironment. Structural differences between collagen and PLA are responsible for this difference. Incorporating cellular binding mechanisms (i.e., peptide motifs) utilized by natural polymers into biodegradable synthetics offers a promising direction for biomaterials to become biomimetic by combining the advantages of synthetic and natural polymers while minimizing their disadvantages.}, number={1}, journal={BIOMIMETICS}, author={McGarry, Katarina and Sefat, Eelya and Suh, Taylor C. and Ali, Kiran M. and Gluck, Jessica M.}, year={2023}, month={Mar} }
 @article{hoque_mahmood_ali_sefat_huang_petersen_harrington_fang_gluck_2023, title={Development of a Pneumatic-Driven Fiber-Shaped Robot Scaffold for Use as a Complex 3D Dynamic Culture System}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2313-7673"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8020170}, DOI={10.3390/biomimetics8020170}, abstractNote={Cells can sense and respond to different kinds of continuous mechanical strain in the human body. Mechanical stimulation needs to be included within the in vitro culture system to better mimic the existing complexity of in vivo biological systems. Existing commercial dynamic culture systems are generally two-dimensional (2D) which fail to mimic the three-dimensional (3D) native microenvironment. In this study, a pneumatically driven fiber robot has been developed as a platform for 3D dynamic cell culture. The fiber robot can generate tunable contractions upon stimulation. The surface of the fiber robot is formed by a braiding structure, which provides promising surface contact and adequate space for cell culture. An in-house dynamic stimulation using the fiber robot was set up to maintain NIH3T3 cells in a controlled environment. The biocompatibility of the developed dynamic culture systems was analyzed using LIVE/DEAD™ and alamarBlue™ assays. The results showed that the dynamic culture system was able to support cell proliferation with minimal cytotoxicity similar to static cultures. However, we observed a decrease in cell viability in the case of a high strain rate in dynamic cultures. Differences in cell arrangement and proliferation were observed between braided sleeves made of different materials (nylon and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene). In summary, a simple and cost-effective 3D dynamic culture system has been proposed, which can be easily implemented to study complex biological phenomena in vitro.}, number={2}, journal={BIOMIMETICS}, author={Hoque, Muh Amdadul and Mahmood, Nasif and Ali, Kiran M. and Sefat, Eelya and Huang, Yihan and Petersen, Emily and Harrington, Shane and Fang, Xiaomeng and Gluck, Jessica M.}, year={2023}, month={Jun} }
 @article{mahmood_suh_ali_sefat_jahan_huang_gilger_gluck_2022, title={Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Corneal Cells: Current Status and Application}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2629-3277"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-022-10435-8}, DOI={10.1007/s12015-022-10435-8}, abstractNote={Deficiency and dysfunction of corneal cells leads to the blindness observed in corneal diseases such as limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) and bullous keratopathy. Regenerative cell therapies and engineered corneal tissue are promising treatments for these diseases [1]. However, these treatments are not yet clinically feasible due to inadequate cell sources. The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by Shinya Yamanaka has provided a multitude of opportunities in research because iPSCs can be generated from somatic cells, thus providing an autologous and unlimited source for corneal cells. Compared to other stem cell sources such as mesenchymal and embryonic, iPSCs have advantages in differentiation potential and ethical concerns, respectively. Efforts have been made to use iPSCs to model corneal disorders and diseases, drug testing [2], and regenerative medicine [1]. Autologous treatments based on iPSCs can be exorbitantly expensive and time-consuming, but development of stem cell banks with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)- homozygous cell lines can provide cost- and time-efficient allogeneic alternatives. In this review, we discuss the early development of the cornea because protocols differentiating iPSCs toward corneal lineages rely heavily upon recapitulating this development. Differentiation of iPSCs toward corneal cell phenotypes have been analyzed with an emphasis on feeder-free, xeno-free, and well-defined protocols, which have clinical relevance. The application, challenges, and potential of iPSCs in corneal research are also discussed with a focus on hurdles that prevent clinical translation.}, journal={STEM CELL REVIEWS AND REPORTS}, author={Mahmood, Nasif and Suh, Taylor Cook and Ali, Kiran M. and Sefat, Eelya and Jahan, Ummay Mowshome and Huang, Yihan and Gilger, Brian C. and Gluck, Jessica M.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} }