Supramolecular scaffolds support human and plant cell growth

Your body is one of the most complex natural structures ever. Billions of cells are assembled in a specific way and the result is you. If you look closely between the cells, you will find the extracellular matrix. This is a gel-like environment in which cells exist and helps them interact with each other. However, when disease occurs, cells and matrices alike can undergo irreparable damage, which can lead to loss of cellular function.

In her PhD research, Maritza Rovers looked at ways to create microgel-based cellular scaffolds that could be used to support cells in the eye or promote nerve growth in spinal cord injuries. did.

Every person on Earth is made up of billions of cells, which are the building blocks of our bodies. Between these cells is the so-called extracellular matrix (ECM), a gel-like environment in which cells spend their entire lives.

“The matrix provides stability and facilitates communication between the cells and the matrix itself,” Dr. Rovers says. “When a disease occurs, not only the ECM but also cells can be damaged. However, sometimes the body is unable to repair the damage and cells and organs lose function,” the cells found. ”

How to become a scaffolder

Wanting to help cells heal when they get sick, Rovers decided to pursue a PhD and become a scaffold builder. Researchers are creating structures that mimic this complex ECM.

“I didn’t set out to build something out of metal that you would see around a house being built,” Rovers says. “Instead, my goal was to build scaffolds from molecular building blocks that support human and plant cells and help them grow.”

To achieve such scaffolds, Rovers turned to the world of supramolecular chemistry, which uses synthetic building blocks (known as monomers) that self-assemble to form networks. “The network or scaffold formed leads to a hydrogel with properties that mimic the ECM.”

However, such hydrogels are often very dense or bulky and have limited spatial control. “Natural ECM is finely controlled by various length-scale processes, and bulk hydrogels are not always able to capture this. Microgels can mimic ECM as small building blocks for larger scaffolds. We provide solutions to

Origin of microfluidics

The creation of these supramolecular microgels required the use of droplet-based microfluidics, a technique that forms tiny water droplets within an oil phase. Eventually, this gels into a microgel.

“Using this approach, we were able to carefully tune the properties of the microgels by varying the concentrations of building blocks, crosslinkers, and bioactive peptides,” Rovers notes.

“These small supramolecular building blocks are similar to the building blocks of different types of K’NEX toys. You can use the same K’NEX blocks to create a variety of designs. Also about supramolecular building blocks Similar, you can create different designs.”I worked on creating small micro-building blocks (microgels) from these molecules that could be used in different types of cells. ”

Applications are plentiful

Which cell type did the young researcher want to create a new scaffold for? Well, Rovers’ boss, Patricia Dunkers, has a wealth of expertise in supramolecular chemistry and applications in her lab, and she has I had a lot of colleagues working with me in different applications.

“Together with colleague Annika Vlehen, we combined our research efforts. Annika worked with synthetic matrices to engineer a microenvironment where cells in the cornea’s thickest layer, the stroma, could live and survive We worked on research to replace the cells she used. In my small microgel, the cells escape from that microgel and interact with other neighboring microgels and cells. It was observed that.

“Cells started using microgels as building blocks to build their own tissue structures. It was completely autonomous, and cells were able to organize this on their own.”

Additionally, Rovers used the same building blocks to create a microgel scaffold that helps nerve cells grow after spinal cord injury and can even be used to culture plant cells.

Challenge to plant cells

The Rovers’ biggest challenge was growing the plant cells. “When I started, I thought it would be easy. Unlike humans, plants grow everywhere, and if you prune them, they’ll grow back. Of course, that’s not the case with the human body. But it was easier than I thought. It turned out to be a challenge.” Plant cells are much more difficult to grow in the lab because they are very fragile. ”

Ultimately, Rovers and his colleagues were able to grow plant cells in combination with supramolecular-based materials.

“We tried to show that, although it is still far from ideal, the field of plant cultivation can learn a lot from tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and vice versa.”

learn how to act

During this journey, Rovers gained many new research skills and learned how to work independently, but she stressed that something else was more important.

“The biggest change I felt in myself was learning to take action and just get started, instead of overthinking everything before doing something in the lab.In my first year of Ph.D., I “I tried to plan every step in the lab.” However, things often go wrong in the lab, and that’s when you can adapt and arrive at creative solutions. This won’t work. Sitting at your desk and over-planning. ”

Researchers also note the importance of finding balance and letting go of things that are out of your control. “It’s good to have perfectionism in research, but it shouldn’t dominate. I’ll keep reminding myself that for the rest of my scientific career.”

After spending four years researching cells, Rovers plans to continue making progress in the small world. “I will remain in my current research group for a short period of time after my defense work. After that, I would like to go abroad to take up a postdoctoral position. However, I will do my best and look to the future with optimism.”