TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bachmann, Barbara
A1  - Spitz, Sarah
A1  - Schädl, Barbara
A1  - Teuschl, Andreas
A1  - Redl, Heinz
A1  - Nürnberger, Sylvia
A1  - Ertl, Peter
T1  - Stiffness Matters: Fine-Tuned Hydrogel Elasticity Alters Chondrogenic Redifferentiation
JF  - Froniers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
N2  - Biomechanical cues such as shear stress, stretching, compression, and matrix elasticity are vital in the establishment of next generation physiological in vitro tissue models. Matrix elasticity, for instance, is known to guide stem cell differentiation, influence healing processes and modulate extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition needed for tissue development and maintenance. To better understand the biomechanical effect of matrix elasticity on the formation of articular cartilage analogs in vitro, this study aims at assessing the redifferentiation capacity of primary human chondrocytes in three different hydrogel matrices of predefined matrix elasticities. The hydrogel elasticities were chosen to represent a broad spectrum of tissue stiffness ranging from very soft tissues with a Young's modulus of 1 kPa up to elasticities of 30 kPa, representative of the perichondral-space. In addition, the interplay of matrix elasticity and transforming growth factor beta-3 (TGF-β3) on the redifferentiation of primary human articular chondrocytes was studied by analyzing both qualitative (viability, morphology, histology) and quantitative (RT-qPCR, sGAG, DNA) parameters, crucial to the chondrotypic phenotype. Results show that fibrin hydrogels of 30 kPa Young's modulus best guide chondrocyte redifferentiation resulting in a native-like morphology as well as induces the synthesis of physiologic ECM constituents such as glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) and collagen type II. This comprehensive study sheds light onto the mechanobiological impact of matrix elasticity on formation and maintenance of articular cartilage and thus represents a major step toward meeting the need for advanced in vitro tissue models to study both re- and degeneration of articular cartilage.
KW  - Tissue Engineering
KW  - Chondrogenic Redifferentiation
KW  - Biomaterials
Y1  - 2021
VL  - 2020
IS  - 8
SP  - 373
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bachmann, Barbara
A1  - Spitz, Sarah
A1  - Rothbauer, Mario
A1  - Jordan, Christian
A1  - Purtscher, Michaela
A1  - Zirath, Helene
A1  - Schuller, Patrick
A1  - Eilenberger, Christoph
A1  - Ali, Syed Faheem
A1  - Mühleder, Severin
A1  - Priglinger, Eleni
A1  - Harasek, Michael
A1  - Redl, Heinz
A1  - Holnthoner, Wolfgang
A1  - Ertl, Peter
T1  - Engineering of three-dimensional pre-vascular networks within fibrin hydrogel constructs by microfluidic control over reciprocal cell signaling
JF  - Biomicrofluidics
KW  - Microfluidic
KW  - Vascularization
KW  - Tissue Engineering
Y1  - 2019
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Rothbauer, Mario
A1  - Byrne, Ruth A.
A1  - Schobesberger, Silvia
A1  - Olmos Calvo, Isabel
A1  - Fischer, Anita
A1  - Reihs, Eva I.
A1  - Spitz, Sarah
A1  - Bachmann, Barbara
A1  - Sevelda, Florian
A1  - Holinka, Johannes
A1  - Holnthoner, Wolfgang
A1  - Redl, Heinz
A1  - Toegel, Stefan
A1  - Windhager, Reinhard
A1  - Kiener, Hans P.
A1  - Ertl, Peter
T1  - Establishment of a human three-dimensional chip-based chondro-synovial coculture joint model for reciprocal cross talk studies in arthritis research
JF  - Lab on a Chip
N2  - Rheumatoid arthritis is characterised by a progressive, intermittent inflammation at the synovial membrane, which ultimately leads to the destruction of the synovial joint. The synovial membrane as the joint capsule's inner layer is lined with fibroblast-like synoviocytes that are the key player supporting persistent arthritis leading to bone erosion and cartilage destruction. While microfluidic models that model molecular aspects of bone erosion between bone-derived cells and synoviocytes have been established, RA's synovial-chondral axis has not yet been realised using a microfluidic 3D model based on human patient in vitro cultures. Consequently, we established a chip-based three-dimensional tissue coculture model that simulates the reciprocal cross talk between individual synovial and chondral organoids. When co-cultivated with synovial organoids, we could demonstrate that chondral organoids induce a higher degree of cartilage physiology and architecture and show differential cytokine response compared to their respective monocultures highlighting the importance of reciprocal tissue-level cross talk in the modelling of arthritic diseases.
KW  - Tissue Engineering
KW  - coculture joint model
KW  - arthritis
KW  - human three-dimensional chip
Y1  - 
VL  - 2021
IS  - 21
SP  - 4128
EP  - 4143
ER  -