Stem Cell Applications in Tissue Repairing for Metabolic Disorders and Diseases Modeling, Drug Screening

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2021) | Viewed by 8494

Special Issue Editor

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
Interests: stem cells; cell therapy; controlled release of growth factors; tissue specific extracellular matrix; tissue regeneration; 3D organoids for drug-induced mitochondrial toxicity testing and nephrotoxicity testing; treatment and biomarkers for diabetic nephropathy and kidney diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many diseases involving abnormal metabolic states disturb normal physiology and lead to severe tissue dysfunction. Understanding these metabolic disorders is a crucial frontline in disease-oriented research. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide an overview of the principles of cell metabolism, cell therapy, stem cell for drug screening, and disease modeling for understanding the interrelationships of degeneration, aging, diabetic diseases, congenital defects, chronic toxicity, and health outcomes, with a focus on chronic disease endpoints.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include the following:

  • Role of cell-based therapy in metabolic disorders.
  • Tissue repair in multiple degenerative diseases, including age-related degeneration.
  • Regenerative medicine for congenital malformation.
  • Metabolic dysfunction in chronic inflammation, diabetic disease, cancers, and related complications.
  • Disease modeling with stem cell technologies.
  • 3D culture for drug screening.
  • Mitochondrial dysfunction and its relationship with toxicity and disease risks.
  • Lipid metabolism in aging and age-related diseases.

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Stem cells
  • 3D organoids
  • regeneration medicine
  • disease modeling
  • drug testing
  • mitochondrial toxicity

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 8613 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Tri-Modal In Vivo Tracking of Engrafted Cartilage-Derived Stem/Progenitor Cells Based on Upconversion Nanoparticles
by Chu-Hsin Chen, Na Tang, Ke Xue, Hui-Zhong Zhang, Ya-Hong Chen, Peng Xu, Kang Sun, Ke Tao and Kai Liu
Biomolecules 2021, 11(7), 958; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom11070958 - 29 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2299
Abstract
Cartilage-derived stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs) are a potential choice for seed cells in osteal and chondral regeneration, and the outcomes of their survival and position distribution in vivo form the basis for the investigation of their mechanism. However, the current use of in vivo [...] Read more.
Cartilage-derived stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs) are a potential choice for seed cells in osteal and chondral regeneration, and the outcomes of their survival and position distribution in vivo form the basis for the investigation of their mechanism. However, the current use of in vivo stem cell tracing techniques in laboratories is relatively limited, owing to their high operating costs and cytotoxicity. Herein, we performed tri-modal in vivo imaging of CSPCs during subcutaneous chondrogenesis using upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for 28 days. Distinctive signals at accurate positions were acquired without signal noise from X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and upconversion luminescence. The measured intensities were all significantly proportional to the cell numbers, thereby enabling real-time in vivo quantification of the implanted cells. However, limitations of the detectable range of cell numbers were also observed, owing to the imaging shortcomings of UCNPs, which requires further improvement of the nanoparticles. Our study explores the application value of upconversion nanomaterials in the tri-modal monitoring of implanted stem cells and provides new perspectives for future clinical translation. Full article
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16 pages, 6840 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Sensing Element PDLIM5 Promotes Osteogenesis of Human Fibroblasts by Affecting the Activity of Microfilaments
by Xiaolan Huang, Rongmei Qu, Yan Peng, Yuchao Yang, Tingyu Fan, Bing Sun, Asmat Ullah Khan, Shutong Wu, Kuanhai Wei, Chujiang Xu, Jingxing Dai, Jun Ouyang and Shizhen Zhong
Biomolecules 2021, 11(5), 759; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom11050759 - 19 May 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2223
Abstract
Human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) approximate the multidirectional differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells, so they are often used in differentiation, cell cultures, and injury repair. They are an important seed source in the field of bone tissue engineering. However, there are a few [...] Read more.
Human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) approximate the multidirectional differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells, so they are often used in differentiation, cell cultures, and injury repair. They are an important seed source in the field of bone tissue engineering. However, there are a few studies describing the mechanism of osteogenic differentiation of HSFs. Here, osteogenic induction medium was used to induce fibroblasts to differentiate into osteoblasts, and the role of the mechanical sensitive element PDLIM5 in microfilament-mediated osteogenic differentiation of human fibroblasts was evaluated. The depolymerization of microfilaments inhibited the expression of osteogenesis-related proteins and alkaline phosphatase activity of HSFs, while the polymerization of microfilaments enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of HSFs. The evaluation of potential protein molecules affecting changes in microfilaments showed that during the osteogenic differentiation of HSFs, the expression of PDLIM5 increased with increasing induction time, and decreased under the state of microfilament depolymerization. Lentivirus-mediated PDLIM5 knockdown by shRNA weakened the osteogenic differentiation ability of HSFs and inhibited the expression and morphological changes of microfilament protein. The inhibitory effect of knocking down PDLIM5 on HSF osteogenic differentiation was reversed by a microfilament stabilizer. Taken together, these data suggest that PDLIM5 can mediate the osteogenic differentiation of fibroblasts by affecting the formation and polymerization of microfilaments. Full article
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Review

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17 pages, 994 KiB  
Review
Recombinant Proteins-Based Strategies in Bone Tissue Engineering
by Marina Paulini, Iván Nadir Camal Ruggieri, Melina Ramallo, Matilde Alonso, José Carlos Rodriguez-Cabello, Pedro Esbrit, João Paulo Mardegan Issa and Sara Feldman
Biomolecules 2022, 12(1), 3; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom12010003 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3279
Abstract
The increase in fracture rates and/or problems associated with missing bones due to accidents or various pathologies generates socio-health problems with a very high impact. Tissue engineering aims to offer some kind of strategy to promote the repair of damaged tissue or its [...] Read more.
The increase in fracture rates and/or problems associated with missing bones due to accidents or various pathologies generates socio-health problems with a very high impact. Tissue engineering aims to offer some kind of strategy to promote the repair of damaged tissue or its restoration as close as possible to the original tissue. Among the alternatives proposed by this specialty, the development of scaffolds obtained from recombinant proteins is of special importance. Furthermore, science and technology have advanced to obtain recombinant chimera’s proteins. This review aims to offer a synthetic description of the latest and most outstanding advances made with these types of scaffolds, particularly emphasizing the main recombinant proteins that can be used to construct scaffolds in their own right, i.e., not only to impregnate them, but also to make scaffolds from their complex structure, with the purpose of being considered in bone regenerative medicine in the near future. Full article
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