[Frontiers in Bioscience 16, 458-471, January 1, 2011]

Crystalline calcium carbonate and hydrogels as microenvironment for stem cells

Liliana Astachov1, Zvi Nevo2, Moran Aviv2, Razi Vago1

1Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel, 2 Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Hydrated gel constructs
4. Hyaluronan
4.1. Link module
4.2. Biological properties of hyaluronan as a function of conformation
4.3. Clinical applications of the Hyaluronic acid-based constructs
5. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)
5.1. The importance of microenvironment in MSCs growth and development
6. Crystalline calcium carbonate of marine origin
6.1. Aragonite-based biomaterials
6.2. Calcite-based biomaterials
7. Hyaluronan - calcium carbonate biohybrids
8. Summary and perspective
9. Acknowledgements
10. References

1. ABSTRACT

Stem cell development and fate decisions are dictated by the microenvironment in which the stem cell is embedded. Among the advanced goals of tissue engineering is the creation of a microenvironment that will support the maintenance and differentiation of the stem cell - based on embryonic and adult stem cells as potent, cellular sources - for a variety of clinical applications. This review discusses some of the approaches used to create regulatory and instructive microenvironments for the directed differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using three-dimensional crystalline calcium carbonate biomaterials of marine origin combined with a hydrated gel based on hyaluronan.