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Applications of scaffolds: Tools for enhancing the immunomodulation of mesenchymal stromal cells

OK-HYEON KIM^1,2,#, EUN RAN KIM^3,#, JUN HYUNG PARK², HYUN JUNG LEE^1,2,*

1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
2 Department of Global Innovative Drugs, Graduate School of Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
3 Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei Biomedical Research Institute, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, South Korea

* Address correspondence to: Hyun Jung Lee,
# Equally contributed as first authors

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Secretome and Biomaterials: Regenerative Medicine Application)

BIOCELL 2022, 46(6), 1439-1443. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2022.018921

Received 24 August 2021; Accepted 08 November 2021; Issue published 07 February 2022

Abstract

Exogenously delivered mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are therapeutically beneficial owing to their paracrine effect; they secrete various cytokines, nucleic acids, and proteins. Multiple bioengineering techniques can help MSC cultures to release secretomes by providing stem cell niche-like conditions (both structurally and functionally). Various scaffolds mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) using both natural and synthetic polymers, providing favorable environments for MSC proliferation and differentiation. Depending on material properties, either topographically or elastically structured scaffolds can be fabricated. Three-dimensional scaffolds have tunable substrate rigidities and structures, aiding MSC cultivation. Decellularized ECM-derived hydrogels are similar to the natural ECM, thus improving the paracrine effects of MSCs. Here, we discuss recent research on the application of scaffolds to maximize the immunomodulatory function of MSCs.

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