Bioengineering lecture 11/15

[Janet Fischer]

Subject: 11/15
Stem Cell Lecture
Dr. Shulamit Levenberg, Technion

Who:  Dr. Shulamit Levenberg, Technion Senior Lecturer and former 
post-doctoral student in the Langer Lab. Recently recognized in the
Scientific American 50 as one of the leading scientists in stem cell research.

What: "Vascularization of Engineered Tissues Using Human Embryonic Stem Cells"

When: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006, 10:00 am

Where: Room 9-057

Sponsored by Hibur: An MIT-Technion Connection , http://hibur.mit.edu

Abstract:
	Vascularization of engineered tissue constructs, using 
endothelial cells or progenitors seeded on biodegradable polymer 
scaffolds, can provide new approach for inducing vessel network 
formation in vitro and in vivo.
	Embryonic stem cells have the capability to differentiate and 
form blood vessels de novo in a process called vasculogenesis. We 
have shown that human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can differentiate 
into endothelial cells forming vascular-like structures when 
formation of embryoid bodies is induced and that these cells can be 
isolated and grown in culture. The embryonic endothelial cells can 
differentiate into vessel-like structures in vitro, and in vivo, when 
seeded on polymer scaffolds and implanted subcutaneously into 
immuno-deficient mice. We have also developed an approach to engineer 
three-dimensional human tissue structures using early differentiating 
hESC and further inducing their differentiation in a supportive 
three-dimensional environment such as PLLA/PLGA polymer scaffolds. We 
have shown that variation of growth factor conditions induced 
formation of complex tissue structures with features of various 
committed embryonic tissues and demonstrated the presence of 
three-dimensional capillary-like networks displaying endothelial 
cell-associated surface molecules throughout the tissue construct. In 
vivo, the hESC constructs recruited and anastamosed with the host 
vascular system.
	To improve vascularization of engineered skeletal muscle 
tissue we induced endothelial vessel networks in engineered skeletal 
muscle tissue constructs using a three-dimensional multi-culture 
system consisting of myoblasts, embryonic fibroblasts and endothelial 
cells, co seeded on highly porous, biodegradable polymer scaffolds. 
Analysis of the conditions for induction and stabilization of the 
vessels in vitro, showed that addition of embryonic fibroblasts 
promoted formation and stabilization of the endothelial vessels. In 
vivo results show that pre-vascularization improves vascularization, 
blood perfusion and survival of the muscle tissue construct after 
transplantation.


For more information, visit http://hibur.mit.edu, or contact hibur at mit.edu.

Hibur: the MIT-Technion Link is sponsored by MIT Hillel, with funding 
from the Boston-Haifa Connection of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, 
and the Avi Chai Israel Advocacy Grant from International Hillel.
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