𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: This study explores how we can improve lab-grown liver cells for medical research and drug testing. The MTMLab team works with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) - special cells that can be transformed into liver-like cells - because real human liver cells are hard to obtain.
However, these lab-grown liver cells don't function as well as mature adult liver cells. The research team discovered that the surface environment where these cells grow is crucial for their development. We created tiny fiber scaffolds made from different materials like collagen, decellularized livers, and chitosan that mimic the natural structure around liver cells.
When liver cells were grown on these specially designed nanofibers for three weeks, they displayed higher function compared to cells grown on standard surfaces. Our key finding was that both the material composition and the nanoscale fiber structure were important - stiffer synthetic fibers or softer materials without the appropriate topography or composition prevented proper cell maturation. This research helps create better lab models of human liver tissue that can be used for testing new drugs and studying liver diseases more effectively.
