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Search indexed bioRxiv preprints in genomics, neuroscience, cell biology and bioinformatics. Read source abstracts and check manuscript versions; preprints are not peer reviewed.

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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Functional maturation of human neural stem cells in a 3D bioengineered brain model enriched with fetal brain matrix

Brain extracellular matrix (ECM) is often overlooked in vitro brain tissue models, despite its instructive roles during development. Using developmental stage-sourced brain ECM in reproducible 3D bioengineered culture systems, we demonstrate enhanced functional differentiation of human induced neural stem cells (hiNSCs) into healthy neurons and astrocytes. Particularly, fetal brain tissue-derived ECM supported long-term maintenance of differentiated neurons, demonstrated by morphology, gene expression and secretome profiling. Astrocytes were evident within the second month of differentiation, and reactive astrogliosis was inhibited in brain ECM-enriched cultures when compared to unsupplemented cultures. Functional maturation of the differentiated hiNSCs within fetal ECM-enriched cultures was confirmed by calcium signaling and unsupervised cluster analysis. Additionally, the study identified native biochemical cues in decellularized ECM with notable comparisons between fetal and adult brain-derived ECMs. The development of novel brain-specific biomaterials for generating mature in vitro brain models provides an important path forward for interrogation of neuron-glia interactions.

developmental biology↗

Functionally Mature Bioengineered Human Skeletal Muscle Tissues Capture Essential Aspects of Glucose Metabolism

Human skeletal muscle is a major regulator of whole-body metabolic homeostasis, yet mechanistic insight into human muscle plasticity is limited by the lack of in vitro models with adult-like metabolic and functional maturity. Here, we develop a workflow for generating bioengineered human skeletal muscle tissues that undergo coordinated structural, molecular, and functional maturation and stabilize in an adult-like state by day 21. Time-resolved RNA-seq and protein profiling reveal consolidation of contractile programs alongside progressive metabolic maturation, including increased mitochondrial electron transport chain content, mature mitochondrial network organization, and upregulation of glucose- and glycogen-handling proteins as well as muscle-enriched AMPK isoforms. Functionally, the tissues develop physiological force-frequency behavior, post-tetanic potentiation, and reproducible fatigue responses that are exacerbated by hypoxia and glucose withdrawal. Exercise-like chronic stimulation increases force and endurance with hypertrophy-like remodeling, and these adaptations reverse with detraining. The model also captures pharmacological responsiveness. {beta}2-adrenergic stimulation activates canonical signaling, increases force, limits disuse-related decline, and improves endurance in a glucose-dependent manner. Under physiological insulin and IGF-1 conditions, tissues show robust insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis, with punctate glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) localization. Finally, knockdown of muscle glycogen synthase (GYS1) preserves peak tetanic force but impairs endurance and force recovery under fuel stress, indicating that glycogen metabolism is a key determinant of human muscle resilience.

cell biology↗

Bioengineered recombinant kisspeptins with extended half-life exhibit novel peripheral function in a large-animal model

Kisspeptins are the small peptide products encoded by the KISS1 gene and physiologically exist in various isoforms of variable length. They are the central regulators of reproduction, being a prominent driver of GnRH hormone secretion. Additionally, they have emerged as an important peripheral therapeutic target for many metabolic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Despite their therapeutic potential, their utility is severely limited by their short half-life. We have rationally bioengineered two versions of native kisspeptins, which we named HSK-1 and HSK-2. HSK-1 (8kDa) and HSK-2 (13kDa) are derived from the fusion of the albumin-binding ZAG domain from Streptococcus zooepidemicus with KP-10 and KP-52 versions of kisspeptins (KPs), respectively. In vitro assays confirmed that the proteins were functionally active and triggered downstream signalling. Molecular dynamics simulations of the proteins revealed their structural features relative to the native kisspeptin isoforms. Both molecules demonstrated stable receptor engagement, and ligand-induced conformational changes were observed, suggesting receptor activation. HSK proteins demonstrated an extended half-life and mostly acted peripherally in young animals. They reduced peripheral luteinizing hormone levels in young animals, likely representing a previously unrecognized mode of peripheral kisspeptin action. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=77 SRC="FIGDIR/small/703727v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (22K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@7b02fdorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@13da0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@174d467org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@124c653_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

biochemistry↗

Multi-omics and functional analysis of a bioengineered vascularized pancreatic cancer model reveal an immunosuppressive and therapy-resistant niche

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease characterized by therapy resistance and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To comprehensively characterize the complex stromal-immune cell interactions that drive PDAC aggressiveness, we applied an integrated multi-modal approach combining single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, immunofluorescence, and microfluidic-based functional assays to bioengineered spheroid models with increasing cellular complexity (up to four cell types) integrating human pancreatic cancer cells, pancreatic stellate cells, endothelial cells, and monocyte-derived macrophages. By incorporating vascularization within the OrganiX microfluidic platform, we enable studies of immune cell trafficking in vascularized tumors. Multi-omics phenotyping revealed coordinated molecular programs in our four-cell organotypic spheroid models, including enhanced hypoxic and glycolytic pathways, NF-{kappa}B activation, and ECM remodeling. Stromal and immune cells acquired tumor-associated phenotypes mirroring patient heterogeneity, including IL-1{beta}+ macrophages, inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs), and antigen-presenting CAFs (apCAFs). The four-cell model exhibited superior clinical relevance, with gene expression signatures that correlated more closely with poor-prognosis patient cohorts and cancer hallmarks that were functionally validated through microfluidic-based assays demonstrating enhanced tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and therapeutic resistance. Finally, live imaging combined with transcriptomic readouts captures dynamic interactions between neutrophils and cancer cells in the vascularized microtumor, enabling direct observation of intravascular events relevant to metastatic dissemination. This integrated analysis demonstrated the recreation of a human-relevant aggressive PDAC niche, establishing a framework that bridges in vitro cellular crosstalk studies with patient-relevant therapeutic responses, offering a powerful translational tool for therapy development in PDAC.

cancer biology↗

BioEngine: scalable execution and adaptation of bioimage AI through agent-readable interfaces

Foundation models and curated repositories have transformed bioimage AI, yet most biologists cannot readily run, adapt, or extend them on available hardware. BioEngine lls this gap as the execution and adaptation layer between curated AI and scalable compute, deployable on a laptop, workstation, or cluster. Scientists then screen models, ne-tune from the browser, enable real-time smart microscopy, and deploy analysis applications, all by describing their goal to an AI agent.

bioinformatics↗

Dynamic modelling of human neural crest development using a bioengineered stem cell organoid system

The neural crest (NC) is a transient stem cell population which migrates throughout the developing embryo to contribute to diverse tissues dependent on axial origin. For example, cranial NC can give rise to bone and cartilage, while more posterior NC populations give rise to peripheral nervous system and neuroendocrine tissues. Perturbations in neural crest development can lead to severe congenital anomalies and cancers, with over 700 neurocristopathies reported. In humans, early NC development remains poorly understood due to the inaccessibility of tissue samples, thus necessitating the development of in vitro models. Currently, a limited number of NC organoid protocols are available, but these mainly focus on cranial NC and lack relevant tissue architecture. Here, we describe a novel bioengineered pipeline to derive human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neuroepithelial organoids, "neurocrestoids" featuring physiologically-relevant tissue architecture. We show that neurocrestoids recapitulate the dynamics of induction, delamination, and migration of human neural crest cells (NCCs), and can be directly compared to murine NC explants for cross-species validation. Organoids express an array of HOX genes indicating the successful generation of cranial, vagal and trunk NCCs. Moreover, we have integrated our neurocrestoids with a customised micropatterned substrate suitable for live visualisation and guided separation of SOX10-positive migratory human NCCs. Our "NCC migration on-chip" are reproducible across multiple hPSC lines and should be scalable for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications, significantly improving our ability to study human NC pathologies.

developmental biology↗

Bioengineered algal lipids enriched in structured medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols, linoleate, and sn-2 palmitate for human milk fat substitutes

Triacylglycerols (TAGs) in human milkfat (HMF) provide over 50% of the calories for infant nutrition. Their unique architecture, featuring palmitic acid predominantly esterified at the sn-2 position, facilitates absorption as 2-palmitoyl monoacylglycerol after hydrolysis of the sn-1 and sn-3 fatty acids by gut lipases. Conventional vegetable oil-based infant formulas mimic the HMF fatty acid profile but lack its distinct regioisomeric structure, abundant medium- and long-chain triglycerides (MLCTs), and oleic-to-linoleic acid ratios that vary with maternal diet and geography. We have engineered the oleaginous green alga Auxenochlorella for biosynthesis of TAGs enriched in MLCTs, sn-2 palmitate, and linoleate via heterologous expression of acyl-acyl-carrier-protein (ACP) thioesterases, palmitate-specific lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferases, and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase. These structured algal lipids replicate both the major fatty acid proportions and regioisomeric composition of authentic HMF, providing single-source bioengineered alternatives to plant-derived HMF substitutes for infant formula.

synthetic biology↗

Bioengineering cobalt chromium cardiovascular stent biomaterial for biofunctionalization

Suboptimal biocompatibility of cardiovascular stents manifest as non-compliance at stent-artery interface in vivo. We optimized a plasma-activated coating (PAC) technology to modify cobalt chromium alloy L605 (PAC-L605) surface of an implantable coronary stent material, for improved biofunctionalization. The PAC-L605 surfaces displayed covalent binding capacity of a protein candidate tropoelastin (TE) by retaining 70.3% of TE after SDS detergent washing. Human coronary artery endothelial cell (HCAEC) proliferation visualized with crystal violet staining, did not vary significantly among the biomaterials at 3 or 5 days. Anchorage of cell cytoskeleton visualized with immunofluorescence and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showed homogenous cell morphology on PAC/TE (with TE) surfaces. Surface hemocompatibility was assessed with static and flow blood assays, the hydrophilic PAC-L605 displayed lower clot formation compared to L605. Area of surface fibrinogen deposited was significantly lower on PAC-L605 vs. L605. Selected ISO 10993-4 tests for biological evaluation of medical devices in contact with blood indicated significantly lowered plasma markers of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), beta-thromboglobulin ({beta}-TG), soluble P-selectin and soluble terminal complement complex (SC5b-9) on PAC-L605 vs. L605. There was no significant difference for plasma biomarkers of polymorphonuclear elastase (PMN elastase) on PAC-L605 vs. L605. Improved surface biofunctionalization of implantable cardiovascular materials could be achieved by plasma-activated coating (PAC).

Bioengineering↗

Bioengineered intestinal muscularis complexes with long-term spontaneous and periodic contractions

Although critical for studies of gut motility and intestinal regeneration, the in vitro culture of intestinal muscularis with peristaltic function remains a significant challenge. Periodic contractions of intestinal muscularis result from the coordinated activity of smooth muscle cells (SMC), the enteric nervous system (ENS), and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Reproducing this activity requires the preservation of all these cells in one system. Here we report the first serum-free culture methodology that consistently maintains spontaneous and periodic contractions of murine and human intestinal muscularis cells for months. In this system, SMC expressed the mature marker myosin heavy chain, and multipolar/dipolar ICC, uniaxonal/multipolar neurons and glial cells were present. Furthermore, drugs affecting ENS, ICC or SMC altered the contractions. Combining this method with scaffolds, contracting cell sheets were formed with organized architecture. With the addition of intestinal epithelial cells, this platform enabled at least 9 types of cells from mucosa and muscularis to coexist and function. The method constitutes a powerful tool for mechanistic studies of gut motility disorders and the regeneration of full-thickness engineered intestine.\n\nIn the small intestine, the mucosa processes partially digested food and absorbs nutrients while the muscularis actuates the peristaltic flow to transport luminal content aborally. Gut motility is central to its digestive and absorptive function. The intestinal muscularis contains various types of cells: of these, smooth muscle cells, the enteric nervous system (ENS)1,2, and the pacemaker interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)3 are three important players involved in the development of gut motility. Recent studies on intestinal tissue engineering have highlighted the importance of regenerating the functional intestinal muscularis4-9. A variety of systems derived from different cell sources, including pluripotent stem cells (PSC)4-6, embryonic stem cells (ESC)7 and primary tissue8,9, have been established to accomplish this goal and different contractile activities were developed in these systems. Notably, spontaneous contractions have been generated in culture systems that contained both ICC and smooth muscle cells4,6,10-13. In addition, electrical-induced neurogenic contractions were also successfully produced4,5,8 when ENS was introduced into culture. In one of the most recent studies, both spontaneous contractions and electrical-induced neurogenic contractions were developed in a PSC-based culture system4.

bioengineering↗

Bioengineering an in situ ovary (ISO) for fertility preservation

Female cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy have an elevated risk of developing premature ovarian failure (POF) and infertility. Experimental approaches to treat iatrogenic infertility are evolving rapidly; however, there remain challenges and risks that have hindered clinical translation. To address these concerns, we developed an ovarian-specific extracellular matrix hydrogel to facilitate follicle delivery and establish an in situ ovary (ISO). We demonstrate sustainable engraftment, natural pregnancy and the birth of healthy pups after intraovarian microinjection of isolated exogenous follicles in a chemotherapy-induced POF mouse model. Our results suggest that the methods described could offer a minimally invasive alternative for the restoration of the ovarian reserve post-chemotherapy.

bioengineering↗

Flexible open-source automation for robotic bioengineering

INTRODUCTIONLiquid handling robots have become a biotechnology staple1,2, allowing laborious or repetitive protocols to be executed in high-throughput. However, software narrowly designed to automate traditional hand-pipetting protocols often struggles to harness the full capabilities of robotic manipulation. Here we present Pyhamilton, an open-source Python package that eliminates these constraints, enabling experiments that could never be done by hand. We used Pyhamilton to double the speed of automated bacterial assays over current software and execute complex pipetting patterns to simulate population dynamics. Next, we incorporated feedback-control to maintain hundreds of remotely monitored bacterial cultures in log-phase growth without user intervention. Finally, we applied these capabilities to comprehensively optimize bioreactor protein production by maintaining and monitoring fluorescent protein expression of nearly 500 different continuous cultures to explore the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus fitness landscape. Our results demonstrate Pyhamiltons empowerment of existing hardware to new applications ranging from biomanufacturing to fundamental biology.

bioengineering↗

Bioengineering a Miniaturized In Vitro 3D Myotube Contraction Monitoring Chip For Modelization of Muscular Dystrophies

Quantification of skeletal muscle functional contraction is essential to assess the outcomes of therapeutic procedures for muscular disorders. Muscle three-dimensional "Organ-on-chip" models usually require a substantial amount of biological material, which is problematic in the context of limited patient sample. Here we developed a miniaturized 3D myotube culture chip with contraction monitoring capacity. Optimized micropatterned substrate design enabled to obtain high culture yields in tightly controlled microenvironments. Spontaneous contractions in myotubes derived from primary human myoblasts were observed. Analysis of nuclear morphology confirmed a similar organization between obtained myotubes and in vivo myofibers. LMNA-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (L-CMD) was modelled with successful development of mutant 3D myotubes displaying contractile dysfunction. This technology can thus be used to study contraction characteristics and evaluate how diseases affect muscle organization and force generation. Importantly, it requires significantly fewer starting materials than current systems, which should allow to substantially improve drug screening capability.

bioengineering↗

Network-level containment of single-species bioengineering

Ecological systems are facing major diversity losses in this century due to Anthropogenic effects. Habitat loss, overexploitation of resources, invasion and pollution are rapidly jeopardising the survival of whole communities, as revealed by pronounced population losses. Moreover, the potential of future tipping points further complicate their survival and change our perspective of risk. It has been recently suggested that a potential approach to flatten the curve of species extinction and prevent catastrophic shifts would involve the engineering of one selected species within one of these communities, aiming at helping the maintenance of key conditions compatible with high diversity. Such possibility has started to become part of potential intervention scenarios to preserve coral reefs, kelp forests or soil microbiomes in drylands. Despite its potential, very little is known about the actual dynamic responses of complex ecological networks to the introduction of a synthetic strains derived from a resident species. In this paper we address this problem by modelling the response of a competitive community to the addition of a synthetic strain derived from a member of a stable ecosystem. We show that the community interaction matrix largely limits the spread of the engineered strain, thus suggesting that species diversity acts as an ecological firewall. Implications for future restoration and terraformation strategies are discussed.

bioengineering↗

Bioengineering multifunctional extracellular vesicles for targeted delivery of biologics to T cells

Genetically modifying T cells can enable applications ranging from cancer immunotherapy to HIV treatment, yet delivery of T cell-targeted therapeutics remains challenging. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale particles secreted by all cells that naturally encapsulate and transfer proteins and nucleic acids, making them an attractive and clinically-relevant platform for engineering biocompatible delivery vehicles. We report a suite of technologies for genetically engineering cells to produce multifunctional EV vehicles--without employing chemical modifications that complicate biomanufacturing. We display high affinity targeting domains on the EV surface to achieve specific, efficient binding to T cells, identify a protein tag to confer active cargo loading into EVs, and display fusogenic glycoproteins to increase EV uptake and fusion with recipient cells. We demonstrate integration of these technologies by delivering Cas9-sgRNA complexes to edit primary human T cells. These approaches could enable targeting vesicles to a range of cells for the efficient delivery of cargo.

bioengineering↗

Lung viral infection modelling in a bioengineered whole-organ

Lung infections are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and this situation has been exacerbated by the emergence of COVID-19. Pre-clinical modelling of viral infections has relied on cell cultures that lack 3D structure and the context of lung extracellular matrices. Here, we propose a bioreactor-based, whole-organ lung model of viral infection. The bioreactor takes advantage of an automated system to achieve efficient decellularization of a whole rat lung, and recellularization of the scaffold using primary human bronchial cells. Automatization allowed for the dynamic culture of airway epithelial cells in a breathing-mimicking setup that led to an even distribution of lung epithelial cells throughout the distal regions. In the sealed bioreactor system, we demonstrate proof-of-concept for viral infection with the engineered lung by infecting primary human airway epithelial cells. Moreover, to assess the possibility of drug screening in this model, we demonstrate the efficacy of the broad-spectrum antiviral Remdesivir. This whole-organ scale lung infection model represents a step towards modelling viral infection of human cells in a 3D context, providing a powerful tool to investigate the mechanisms of the early stages of pathogenic infections and the development of effective treatment strategies for respiratory diseases.

bioengineering↗

FRESH™ 3D bioprinted cardiac tissue, a bioengineered platform for in-vitro toxicology and pharmacology

There is critical need for a predictive model of human cardiac physiology in the drug development process for assessment of compound toxicology and pharmacology. In vitro two-dimensional monolayer culture of cardiomyocytes provides biochemical and cellular readouts, and in vivo small and large animal models provide information on systemic cardiovascular response. However, there remains a significant gap in these models due to an incomplete recapitulation of adult human cardiovascular physiology, which results in more difficult safety interpretations. Recent efforts in developing in vitro models from engineered heart tissues have demonstrated potential for bridging this gap using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) in a three-dimensional tissue structure. Here we advance this paradigm by implementing FRESH 3D bioprinting to build human cardiac tissues in a medium throughput, well-plate format with controlled tissue architecture, tailored cellular composition, and native-like physiological function, specifically in its adrenergic agonist drug response. To do this, we combined hiPSC-CMs, endothelial cells and fibroblasts in a cellular bioink and FRESH 3D bioprinted this mixture in the format of a thin tissue strip stabilized on a tissue fixture. Our results confirmed that FRESH 3D bioprinted cardiac tissues could be fabricated directly in a 24-well plate format, were composed of dense and highly aligned hiPSC-CMs at >600 million cells/mL, and within 14 days demonstrated reproducible calcium transients and fast conduction velocity of [~]25 cm/s. Interrogation of these cardiac tissues with the {beta}-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol showed native-like positive chronotropic and inotropic responses, a combination of responses that is not typically observed in 2D monolayer models or standard 3D engineered heart tissue approaches. These results confirm that FRESH 3D bioprinted cardiac tissues represents a novel in vitro platform that enables early in vitro pharmacology and toxicology screening.

bioengineering↗

Bioengineered visible polymeric mesh to enhance urogynaecological health

Pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, are prevalent health concerns, affecting approximately 50% of females over their lifetime, with about 75% of women over 65 years of age being impacted. Traditional surgical interventions, such as transvaginal mesh implants, have led to numerous complications, resulting in their prohibition in several countries. This study introduces an innovative composite mesh designed to mitigate these issues by combining polymethylmethacrylate and thermoplastic polyurethane, further enhanced with iodine-doped carbon nanoparticles to enable visibility via medical imaging. The mesh is coated with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymer to prevent protein adsorption and promote tissue regeneration. In vitro studies showed high cell viability and low protein adsorption, indicating excellent biocompatibility. Implantation of mesh (with or without iodine) in mice revealed no adverse effects on overall animal health. Mouse spleen weight (an indicator of inflammation) was similar between groups; however, levels of some cytokines (i.e., IL-10, IL-17A and GM-CSF) were elevated following implantation of iodinated mesh in mice suggesting that further refinement of the composite mesh is required. Analysis of the fecal microbiome, which is correlated with physiological states, showed that sham and iodinated mesh implant groups maintained consistent microbial profiles with stable diversity (richness and evenness) measures over time. In contrast, the non-iodinated mesh group exhibited decreased species richness post mesh implantation, likely due to a distinct starting microbiome composition prior to implantation. This research is envisaged to contribute to a safer and more effective solution for treating pelvic floor disorders, providing non-invasive post-implantation monitoring and enhanced mechanical compatibility of surgical mesh with native tissue. Our findings demonstrate that this composite mesh possesses mechanical properties that closely mimic human tissue, ensuring biocompatibility, strength, and flexibility without stimulating significant inflammatory or foreign body responses.

bioengineering↗

Bioengineering of the implantable vascularized endocrine constructs for insulin delivery suitable for clinical upscaling

Beta cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes is hindered by poor graft survival and suboptimal function, largely due to inadequate vascularization and lack of supportive microenvironment. To address these challenges, we developed a clinically scalable, extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimetic hydrogel, termed Amniogel, derived from human amniotic membrane via streamlined, clinically compliant process. Co-encapsulation of pancreatic islets with blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) within Amniogel facilitated the formation of prevascularized endocrine constructs (VECs). These constructs demonstrated enhanced {beta}-cell viability and function through ECM-bound pro-survival signals, rapid self-assembly of perfusable endothelial networks enabling efficient glucose sensing, and deposition of laminin-rich basement membranes enhancing {beta}-cell coupling and insulin secretion kinetics. In preclinical diabetic mouse models, VECs rapidly integrated with the host vasculature and provided sustained glycemic control when implanted subcutaneously. This integrative approach, combining a scalable, cost-effective biological scaffold with autologous vascularization potential, represents a significant advancement toward durable and clinically translatable {beta}-cell replacement therapies for T1DM. One Sentence SummaryA clinically scalable, biological hydrogel based vascularized endocrine constructs show sustained diabetes reversal.

bioengineering↗