Three-Dimensional Cell Culture of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in a Hydrogel with Photobiomodulation Augmentation

The Laser Research Centre are leading efforts to investigate phototherapy or laser radiation of biological tissue, focusing on stem cell photobiomodulation for regenerative therapy. In this study, we investigated stem cell photobiomodulation in adipose-derived stem cells using three-dimensional cell culture. Recent research has been focusing on combining photobiomodulation and adipose-derived stem cells for stem cell regenerative therapy.

Studies have indicated that photobiomodulation enhances stem cell viability, proliferation, and differentiation potential. 3D cell culture techniques are an advancement of photobiomodulation research. As 3D cell culture supplies us with a physiologically relevant environment to study cell behavior.

The current study demonstrated that hydrogel has no cytotoxic effect on cells over a 10-day culture period. And that photobiomodulation has significant positive augmentative potential and can significantly up-regulate the proliferation rates of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells despite being in a three-dimensional cell culture. The results of the current study will pave the way for the development of standardized photobiomodulation parameters and culture conditions for the differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells into various specialized types of cells, especially tenocytes.