Engineering a tissue flap

Summary We have assembled pre-vascularized scaffolds in the laboratory, by seeding human induced pluripotent stem cell derived endothelial cells (iPSC ECs) into a porous scaffold, with the formation of an interconnected human capillary network within 24 hours. When implanted in vivo into a wound this pre-vascularized scaffold survives and connects to the host blood circulation. We have also successfully connected this human capillary network to a large artery and vein in an animal model thereby establishing the basis of a tissue flap – large vessels connected to a capillary network. This project will progress our hiPSC flap tissue with the addition of muscle tissue, and or fat tissue and/or skin tissue, largely developed from hiPSC.

Project Details

Providing a functional capillary network connected to the blood circulation is a major hurdle in engineering of tissues and organs. The Vascular Biology Group at the O’Brien Institute/St Vincent’s Institute is researching techniques to improve the vascularization of tissue engineering constructs.

We have assembled pre-vascularized scaffolds in the laboratory, by seeding human induced pluripotent stem cell derived endothelial cells (iPSC ECs) into a porous scaffold, with the formation of an interconnected human capillary network within 24 hours. When implanted in vivo into a wound this pre-vascularized scaffold survives and connects to the host blood circulation. We have also successfully connected this human capillary network to a large artery and vein in an animal model thereby establishing the basis of a tissue flap – large vessels connected to a capillary network.

This project will progress our hiPSC flap tissue with the addition of muscle tissue, and or fat tissue and/or skin tissue, largely developed from hiPSC.

The project will involve differentiation and characterization of these cell types from human iPSC and subsequent assembly of various cell combinations including a capillary network in scaffolds and extra-cellular matrices in the cell culture laboratory.  In vivo testing of the tissues developed will occur post-optimization of 3D tissues in vitro. The project will largely involve 3-dimensional cell culture techniques, immunohistochemistry and microscopy techniques.