Science / Technology - Colloquium
Monday, December 1, 2008
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Olin Hall
223
Tissue engineering has shown promise toward creating blood vessel substitutes for cardiovascular surgery. Recent clinical studies suggest that tissue engineered vascular grafts fabricated entirely from cultured cell sheets and cell-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) may be used as autologous arteriovenous fistulas in dialysis patients. However, the lengthy process required for their fabrication (~28 weeks), may limit their use. The focus of our research is to develop systems to more rapidly generate cell-based tissue constructs for systematic evaluation of the effects of soluble and genetic factors on tissue structure, ECM synthesis, and mechanical function. The seminar will focus on our recent work involving generation of cell-derived tissue rings by seeding smooth muscle cells (SMC) into custom, non-adhesive, circular wells. After only 8 days in culture, the resulting tissue rings were subjected to mechanical testing, and exhibited properties approaching those of native tissues. If successful, this system may allow rapid fabrication of vascular tissue constructs to facilitate the discovery of factors that control ECM synthesis and organization as a means of engineering tissue mechanical properties.
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by: WPI Physics Department, Dr. Izabela Stroe
Suggested Audiences: College, Adult
E-mail:
izabela@wpi.edu
Phone: 508-831-5249
Last Modified: November 26, 2008 at 11:40 AM
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