• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.1003-1016
• /
• 2024

This study explores the potential of plant-based decellularization in regenerative medicine, a pivotal development in tissue engineering focusing on scaffold development, modification, and vascularization. Plant decellularization involves removing cellular components from plant structures, offering an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional scaffold materials. The use of plant-derived polymers is critical, presenting both benefits and challenges, notably in mechanical properties. Integration of plant vascular networks represents a significant bioengineering breakthrough, aligning with natural design principles. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of development protocols, scaffold fabrication considerations, and illustrative case studies showcasing plant-based decellularization applications. This technique is transformative, offering sustainable scaffold design solutions with readily available plant materials capable of forming perfusable structures. Ongoing research aims to refine protocols, assess long-term implications, and adapt the process for clinical use, indicating a path toward widespread adoption. Plant-based decellularization holds promise for regenerative medicine, bridging biological sciences with engineering through eco-friendly approaches. Future perspectives include protocol optimization, understanding long-term impacts, clinical scalability, addressing mechanical limitations, fostering collaboration, exploring new research areas, and enhancing education. Collectively, these efforts envision a regenerative future where nature and scientific innovation converge to create sustainable solutions, offering hope for generations to come.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.65-73
• /
• 2007

Chitosan, fibroin, and hydroxyapatite are natural biopolymers and bioceramics that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and resorb able for biomedical applications. The highly porous, chitosan-based, bioceramic hybrid composite, chitosanlfibroin-hydroxyapatite composite, was prepared by a novel method using thermally induced phase separation. The composite had a porosity of more than 94% and exhibited two continuous and different morphologies: an irregularly isotropic pore structure on the surface and a regularly anisotropic multilayered structure in the interior. In addition, the composite was composed of an interconnected open pore structure with a pore size below a few hundred microns. The chemical composition, pore morphology, microstructure, fluid absorptivity, protein permeability, and mechanical strength were investigated according to the composition rate of bioceramics to biopolymers for use in tissue engineering. The incorporation of hydroxyapatite improved the fluid absorptivity, protein permeability, and tenacity of the composite while maintaining high porosity and a suitable microstructure.

• Biomaterials Research
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.235-248
• /
• 2018

Background: Injectable hydrogels have been extensively researched for the use as scaffolds or as carriers of therapeutic agents such as drugs, cells, proteins, and bioactive molecules in the treatment of diseases and cancers and the repair and regeneration of tissues. It is because they have the injectability with minimal invasiveness and usability for irregularly shaped sites, in addition to typical advantages of conventional hydrogels such as biocompatibility, permeability to oxygen and nutrient, properties similar to the characteristics of the native extracellular matrix, and porous structure allowing therapeutic agents to be loaded. Main body: In this article, recent studies of injectable hydrogel systems applicable for therapeutic agent delivery, disease/cancer therapy, and tissue engineering have reviewed in terms of the various factors physically and chemically contributing to sol-gel transition via which gels have been formed. The various factors are as follows: several different non-covalent interactions resulting in physical crosslinking (the electrostatic interactions (e.g., the ionic and hydrogen bonds), hydrophobic interactions, ${\pi}$-interactions, and van der Waals forces), in-situ chemical reactions inducing chemical crosslinking (the Diels Alder click reactions, Michael reactions, Schiff base reactions, or enzyme-or photo-mediated reactions), and external stimuli (temperatures, pHs, lights, electric/magnetic fields, ultrasounds, or biomolecular species (e.g., enzyme)). Finally, their applications with accompanying therapeutic agents and notable properties used were reviewed as well. Conclusion: Injectable hydrogels, of which network morphology and properties could be tuned, have shown to control the load and release of therapeutic agents, consequently producing significant therapeutic efficacy. Accordingly, they are believed to be successful and promising biomaterials as scaffolds and carriers of therapeutic agents for disease and cancer therapy and tissue engineering.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.169-173
• /
• 2007

During laser irradiation, mechanically deformed cartilage undergoes a temperature dependent phase transformation resulting in accelerated stress relaxation. Clinically, laser-assisted cartilage reshaping may be used to recreate the underlying cartilaginous framework in structures such as ear, larynx, trachea, and nose. Therefore, research and identification of the biophysical transformations in cartilage accompanying laser heating are valuable to identify critical laser dosimetry and phase transformation of cartilage for many clinical applications. quasi-elastic light scattering was investigated using Ho : YAG laser $(\lambda=2.12{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim450{\mu}s)$ and Nd:YAG Laser $(\lambda=1.32{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim700{\mu}s)$ for heating sources and He : Ne $(\lambda=632.8nm)$ laser, high-power diode pumped laser $(\lambda=532nm)$, and Ti : $Al_2O_3$ femtosecond laser $(\lambda=850nm)$ for light scattering sources. A spectrometer and infrared radiometric sensor were used to monitor the backscattered light spectrum and transient temperature changes from cartilage following laser irradiation. Analysis of the optical, thermal, and quasi-elastic light scattering properties may indicate internal dynamics of proteoglycan movement within the cartilage framework during laser irradiation.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.7.2-7.2
• /
• 2009

Nanoporous bioactive glass(NBG) ceramic with well interconnected pore structures were fabricated bytriblock copolymer templating and sol-gel techniques. Hierarchically porous BGbeads were also successfully synthesized by controlling the condition of solvent.The beads have hierarchically nano- and macro-pore structure with a sizesbetween several tens nanometers and several hundred micrometers. Both NBG andBG beads show superior bone-forming bioactivity and good in vitrobiodegradability. Biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo were examed andwas revealed that it largely relies on the pore morphology as well ascomposition. Our synthetic process can be adapted for the purpose of preparingvarious bioceramics, which have excellent potential applications in the fieldof biomaterials such as tissue engineering and drug storage.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.3.2-3.2
• /
• 2009

Microfluidics and BioMEMStechnology has increasingly been used as a tool for studying small volumes oftissue and even individual cells. One of the most important benefits ofmicrofluidic technology is the potential to build devices that analyze and sortmammalian cells. The "sorting problem" typically requires that a fewcells be selected and isolated from a larger population of hundreds, thousandsor even millions of other cells. For example, cancer tumor cells may resideamong a large population of healthy cells, but it would be of great interest toidentify, isolate and study only the cancer cells. In another application, onemay want to determine the number of white blood cells within a sample of blood.We have developed microfluidic devices that enable researchers to select cellsfrom a population by a variety of methods, including antibody staining,dielectrophoretic selection, and physical size selection. These devices haveapplications in cancer research where cancer cells must be identified fromnormal tissue, but where only small samples of tissue are available. In thistalk, we will present some of our microfluidic cell sorting devices, discusstheir physical principles, and their use in biological applications.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2006.10a
• /
• pp.48-49
• /
• 2006

The incorporation of heparin to biomaterials has been widely studied to improve the biocompatibility (blood and cell) of biomaterials surfaces. In our laboratory, various kinds of heparinized polymers including heparinized thermosensitive polymers ($Tetronic^{(R)}$-PLA(PCL)-heparin copolymers) and star-shaped PLA-heparin copolymers have been developed as a novel blood/cell compatible material. These heparinized polymers have demonstrated their unique properties due to bound heparin, resulting in improved biocompatibility. These heparinized bioactive polymers can be applied as blood and tissue compatible biodegradable materials in variable medical application such as tissue engineering and drug delivery system.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2002.04a
• /
• pp.45-47
• /
• 2002

Although Dacron and ePTFE have most widely been used for artificial vascular grafts, these materials cannot be used for small-diameter grafts (l.D.<6mm) due to thrombotic occlusion. To overcome this limitation, a small-diameter vascular graft was developed with stem cell and tissue engineering method. Autologous bone marrow stem cells were cultured and seeded onto small-diameter (4mm) collagen tubular matrices. The matrices were anastomosed to carotid arteries in canine models. Prior to implantation, histological and electron microscopical examination revealed stem cell adhesion and growth on the matrices. Angiography indicated that the vascular grafts maintained patent for 8 weeks. Histological examination showed the regeneration of endothelium, media and adventitia in the grafts. This study may allow us to step forward to the development of tissue-engineered small-diameter vascular graft appropriate for clinical applications.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.56-60
• /
• 2021

In recent decades, tissue engineering advances have led to more skin substitutes becoming available. Acellular dermal matrix, initially developed for use in the treatment of full-thickness burns, is made by removing the cellular components from the dermis collected from donated bodies or animals. This class of scaffold is used to replace skin and soft tissue deficiencies in a variety of fields, including breast reconstruction, abdominal wall reconstruction, and burn treatment. Herein, we provide a detailed review of the clinical applications of acellular dermal matrix.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.15-29
• /
• 2024

The development and differentiation of endothelial cells (ECs) are fundamental processes with significant implications for both health and disease. ECs, which are found in all organs and blood vessels, play a crucial role in facilitating nutrient and waste exchange and maintaining proper vessel function. Understanding the intricate signaling pathways involved in EC development holds great promise for enhancing vascularization, tissue engineering, and vascular regeneration. Hematopoietic stem cells originating from hemogenic ECs, give rise to diverse immune cell populations, and the interaction between ECs and immune cells is vital for maintaining vascular integrity and regulating immune responses. Dysregulation of vascular development pathways can lead to various diseases, including cancer, where tumor-specific ECs promote tumor growth through angiogenesis. Recent advancements in single-cell genomics and in vivo genetic labeling have shed light on EC development, plasticity, and heterogeneity, uncovering tissue-specific gene expression and crucial signaling pathways. This review explores the potential of ECs in various applications, presenting novel opportunities for advancing vascular medicine and treatment strategies.