D.O.Z. is supported by a grant awarded from The Geneva Foundation. S.N. was supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant from the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative.

1. Isolating Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ASC)
Note: All procedures were performed at room temperature unless otherwise noted.
<ol>
	<li>Isolate rat perirenal and epididymal adipose and wash with sterile Hank's buffered salt solution (HBSS) containing 1% fetal bovine serum (FBS) as previously described6.</li>
	<li>Mince the tissue and transfer 1-2 g into 25 mL of HBSS containing 1% FBS into a 50 mL tube and centrifuge at 500 g for 8 min at room temperature.</li>
	<...

<ol>
	<li>Krampera, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mesenchymal+stem+cells+for+bone,+cartilage,+tendon+and+skeletal+muscle+repair.">Mesenchymal stem cells for bone, cartilage, tendon and skeletal muscle repair.</a> Bone. 39, 678-683 (2006).</li><li>Patrick, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tissue+engineering+strategies+for+adipose+tissue+repair.">Tissue engineering strategies for adipose tissue repair.</a> Anat. Rec. 263, 361-366 (2001).</li><li>Pountos, I., Giannoudis, P. V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biology+of+mesenchymal+stem+cells.">Biology of mesenchymal stem cells.</a> Injury. 36, S8-S12 (2005).</li><li>Kim, I. Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chitosan+and+its+derivatives+for+tissue+engineering+applications.">Chitosan and its derivatives for tissue engineering applications.</a> Biotechnol. Adv. 26, 1-21 (2008).</li><li>Shi, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Therapeutic+potential+of+chitosan+and+its+derivatives+in+regenerative+medicine.">Therapeutic potential of chitosan and its derivatives in regenerative medicine.</a> J. Surg. Res. 133, 185-192 (2006).</li><li>Natesan, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adipose-derived+stem+cell+delivery+into+collagen+gels+using+chitosan+microspheres.">Adipose-derived stem cell delivery into collagen gels using chitosan microspheres.</a> Tissue Eng. Part. A. 16, 1369-1384 (2010).</li><li>Bubnis, W. A., Ofner, C. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+determination+of+epsilon-amino+groups+in+soluble+and+poorly+soluble+proteinaceous+materials+by+a+spectrophotometric+method+using+trinitrobenzenesulfonic+acid.">The determination of epsilon-amino groups in soluble and poorly soluble proteinaceous materials by a spectrophotometric method using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid.</a> Anal. Biochem. 207, 129-133 (1992).</li><li>Bornstein, M. 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A., Aebischer, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chitosan+as+a+matrix+for+mammalian+cell+encapsulation.">Chitosan as a matrix for mammalian cell encapsulation.</a> Biomaterials. 15, 1049-1056 (1994).</li><li>Girandon, L., Kregar-Velikonja, N., Bo&#382;ikov, K., Barli&#231;, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vitro+Models+for+Adipose+Tissue+Engineering+with+Adipose-Derived+Stem+Cells+Using+Different+Scaffolds+of+Natural+Origin.">In vitro Models for Adipose Tissue Engineering with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Using Different Scaffolds of Natural Origin.</a> Folia Biol. (Praha). 57, 47-56 (2011).</li><li>Baruch, L., Machluf, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Alginate-chitosan+complex+coacervation+for+cell+encapsulation:+effect+on+mechanical+properties+and+on+long-term+viability.">Alginate-chitosan complex coacervation for cell encapsulation: effect on mechanical properties and on long-term viability.</a> Biopolymers. 82, 570-579 (2006).</li><li>Wei, Y., Gong, K., Zheng, Z., Wang, A., Ao, Q., Gong, Y., Zhang, X. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chitosan/silk+fibroin-based+tissue-engineered+graft+seeded+with+adipose-derived+stem+cells+enhances+nerve+regeneration+in+a+rat+model.">Chitosan/silk fibroin-based tissue-engineered graft seeded with adipose-derived stem cells enhances nerve regeneration in a rat model.</a> J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. , (2011).</li><li>Wang, Q., Jamal, S., Detamore, M. S., Berkland, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=PLGA-chitosan/PLGA-alginate+nanoparticle+blends+as+biodegradable+colloidal+gels+for+seeding+human+umbilical+cord+mesenchymal+stem+cells.">PLGA-chitosan/PLGA-alginate nanoparticle blends as biodegradable colloidal gels for seeding human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.</a> J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A. 96, 520-527 (2011).</li><li>Alves da Silva, M. L., Martins, A., Costa-Pinto, A. R., Correlo, V. M., Sol, P., Bhattacharya, M., Faria, S., Reis, R. L., Neves, N. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chondrogenic+differentiation+of+human+bone+marrow+mesenchymal+stem+cells+in+chitosan-based+scaffolds+using+a+flow-perfusion+bioreactor.">Chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in chitosan-based scaffolds using a flow-perfusion bioreactor.</a> J. Tissue Eng. Regen. Med. , (2010).</li><li>Kang, Y. M., Lee, B. N., Ko, J. H., Kim, G. H., Kang, K. N., Kim da, Y., Kim, J. H., Park, Y. H., Chun, H. J., Kim, C. H., Kim, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+biocompatibility+study+of+electrospun+chitosan+microfiber+for+tissue+engineering.">In vivo biocompatibility study of electrospun chitosan microfiber for tissue engineering.</a> Int. J. Mol. Sci. 11, 4140-4148 (2010).</li><li>Bozkurt, G., Mothe, A. J., Zahir, T., Kim, H., Shoichet, M. S., Tator, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chitosan+channels+containing+spinal+cord-derived+stem/progenitor+cells+for+repair+of+subacute+spinal+cord+injury+in+the+rat.">Chitosan channels containing spinal cord-derived stem/progenitor cells for repair of subacute spinal cord injury in the rat.</a> Neurosurgery. 67, 1733-1744 (2010).</li><li>Leipzig, N. D., Wylie, R. G., Kim, H., Shoichet, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Differentiation+of+neural+stem+cells+in+three-dimensional+growth+factor-immobilized+chitosan+hydrogel+scaffolds.">Differentiation of neural stem cells in three-dimensional growth factor-immobilized chitosan hydrogel scaffolds.</a> Biomaterials. 32, 57-64 (2011).</li><li>Altman, A. M., Gupta, V., RÃ­os, C. N., Alt, E. U., Mathur, A. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adhesion,+migration+and+mechanics+of+human+adipose-tissue-derived+stem+cells+on+silk+fibroin-chitosan+matrix.">Adhesion, migration and mechanics of human adipose-tissue-derived stem cells on silk fibroin-chitosan matrix.</a> Acta Biomater. 6, 1388-1397 (2010).</li><li>Altman, A. M., Yan, Y., Matthias, N., Bai, X., Rios, C., Mathur, A. B., Song, Y. H., Alt, E. U. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=IFATS+collection:+Human+adipose-derived+stem+cells+seeded+on+a+silk+fibroin-chitosan+scaffold+enhance+wound+repair+in+a+murine+soft+tissue+injury+model.">IFATS collection: Human adipose-derived stem cells seeded on a silk fibroin-chitosan scaffold enhance wound repair in a murine soft tissue injury model.</a> Stem Cells. 27, 250-258 (2009).</li><li>Machado, C. B., Ventura, J. M., Lemos, A. F., Ferreira, J. M., Leite, M. F., Goes, A. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=3D+chitosan-gelatin-chondroitin+porous+scaffold+improves+osteogenic+differentiation+of+mesenchymal+stem+cells.">3D chitosan-gelatin-chondroitin porous scaffold improves osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.</a> Biomed. Mater. 2, 124-131 (2007).</li></ol>

No competing financial interests exist. 
Disclaimers
The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. The authors are employees of the U.S. Government, and this work was prepared as part of their official duties. All work was supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. This study was conducted under a protocol reviewed and approved by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Institutional Review Board, and in accordance with the approved protocol.

A major hurdle in stem cell-based therapy is developing efficient methods for delivery of cells to the specified regions for repair. Due to patient to patient variability, the tissue type, injury size and depth; the methodology of delivering stem cells must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Although embedding stem cells within a matrix and delivering them to the wound site appears to be a next logical approach for tissue engineering, some technical hurdles remain. This includes the ability of the embedded cel...

<table border="1" >
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of the reagent/equipment</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 <td>Catalogue number</td>
 <td>Comments </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Hanks BalancedSalt Solution (HBSS)</td>
 <td>Gibco</td>
 <td>14175</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
 <td>Hyclone</td>
 <td>SH30071.03</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Collagenase Type II</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>C6685</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>70-&mu;m nylon mesh filter</td>
 <td>BD Biosciences</td>
 <td>352350</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>100-&mu;m nylon mesh filter</td>
 <td>BD Biosciences</td>
 <td>352360</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>MesenPRO Growth Medium System</td>
 <td>Invitrogen</td>
 <td>12746-012</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>L-glutamine</td>
 <td>Gibco</td>
 <td>25030</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>T75 Tissue Culture Flask</td>
 <td>BD Biosciences</td>
 <td>137787</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Chitosan</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>448869</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Acetic Acid</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>320099</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>N-Octanol</td>
 <td>Acros Organics</td>
 <td>150630025 </td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Sorbitan-Mono-oleate</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>S6760</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Potassium Hydroxide</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>P1767</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Acetone</td>
 <td>Fisher Scientific</td>
 <td>L-4859</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Ethanol</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>270741</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Trinitro Benzenesulfonic Acid</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>P2297</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Hydrochloric Acid</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>320331</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Ethyl Ether</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>472-484</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>8-&mu;m Tissue Culture Plate Inserts</td>
 <td>BD Biosciences</td>
 <td>353097</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1.5-ml Microcentrifuge Tubes</td>
 <td>Fisher</td>
 <td>05-408-129</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>MTT Reagent</td>
 <td>Invitrogen</td>
 <td>M6494</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Dimethyl Sulfoxide</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>D8779</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Qtracker Cell Labeling Kit (Q tracker 655)</td>
 <td>Molecular probes</td>
 <td>Q2502PMP</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Type 1 Collagen</td>
 <td>Travigen</td>
 <td>3447-020-01</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Sodium Hydroxide</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>S8045</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>12-Well Tissue Culture Plates</td>
 <td>BD Biosciences</td>
 <td>353043</td>
 <td>Consumable</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Centrifuge</td>
 <td>Eppendorf</td>
 <td>5417R</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Orbital Shaker</td>
 <td>New Brunswick Scienctific</td>
 <td>C24</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Humidified Incubator with Air-5% CO2</td>
 <td>Thermo Scientific</td>
 <td>Model 370</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Overhead Stirrer</td>
 <td>IKA</td>
 <td>Visc6000</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Magnetic Stirrer</td>
 <td>Corning</td>
 <td>PC-210 </td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Vacuum Desiccator</td>
 <td>-</td>
 <td>-</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Particle Size Analyzer</td>
 <td>Malvern</td>
 <td>STP2000 Spraytec</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Water Bath</td>
 <td>Fisher Scientific</td>
 <td>Isotemp210</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Spectrophotometer</td>
 <td>Beckman</td>
 <td>Beckman Coulter DU800UV/Visible Spectrophotometer</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Vortex</td>
 <td>Diagger</td>
 <td>3030a</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Microplate Reader</td>
 <td>Molecular Devices</td>
 <td>SpectraMax M2</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Light/Fluorescence Microscope</td>
 <td>Olympus</td>
 <td>IX71</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Confocal Microscope</td>
 <td>Olympus</td>
 <td>FV-500 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Scanning Electron Microscope</td>
 <td>Carl Zeiss MicroImaging</td>
 <td>Leo 435 VP</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Transmission Electron Microscope</td>
 <td>JEOL</td>
 <td>JEOL 1230</td>
 <td>Equipment</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>

constructing a collagen hydrogel for the delivery of stem cell-loaded chitosan microspheres

Multipotent stem cells have been shown to be extremely useful in the field of regenerative medicine1-3. However, in order to use these cells effectively for tissue regeneration, a number of variables must be taken into account. These variables include: the total volume and surface area of the implantation site, the mechanical properties of the tissue and the tissue microenvironment, which includes the amount of vascularization and the components of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, the materials being used to deliver these cells must be biocompatible with a defined chemical composition while maintaining a mechanical strength that mimics the host tissue. These materials must also be permeable to oxygen and nutrients to provide a favorable microenvironment for cells to attach and proliferate. Chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide with excellent biocompatibility, can be easily chemically modified and has a high affinity to bind with in vivo macromolecules4-5. Chitosan mimics the glycosaminoglycan portion of the extracellular matrix, enabling it to function as a substrate for cell adhesion, migration and proliferation. In this study we utilize chitosan in the form of microspheres to deliver adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) into a collagen based three-dimensional scaffold6. An ideal cell-to-microsphere ratio was determined with respect to incubation time and cell density to achieve maximum number of cells that could be loaded. Once ASC are seeded onto the chitosan microspheres (CSM), they are embedded in a collagen scaffold and can be maintained in culture for extended periods. In summary, this study provides a method to precisely deliver stem cells within a three dimensional biomaterial scaffold.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Constructing a Collagen Hydrogel for the Delivery of Stem Cell-loaded Chitosan Microspheres at JoVE.com

Constructing a Collagen Hydrogel for the Delivery of Stem Cell-loaded Chitosan Microspheres

A major hurdle in current stem cell therapies is determining the most effective method to deliver these cells to host tissues. Here, we describe a chitosan-based delivery method that is efficient and simple in approach, while allowing adipose-derived stem cells to maintain their multipotency.

Multipotent stem cells have been shown to be extremely useful in the field of regenerative medicine1-3. However, in order to use these cells effectively ...

constructing-collagen-hydrogel-for-delivery-stem-cell-loaded-chitosan

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

16.7K Views.  United States Army Institute of Surgical Research. A major hurdle in current stem cell therapies is determining the most effective method to deliver these cells to host tissues. Here, we describe a chitosan-based delivery method that is efficient and simple in approach, while allowing adipose-derived stem cells to maintain their multipotency.