NSF/FDA SIR: Biomaterials for MSC Adhesion and Enrichment

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT #1238398 Fisher, John P. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have tremendous therapeutic potential as they are capable of differentiating into various mesenchymal lineages such as bone, adipose, and cartilage. However, MSCs represent only a fraction of the cells that are found in the bone marrow and lack unique identifying markers, proving them difficult to isolate precisely. There are several limitations to traditional plastic adherence, including potentially harmful interactions between MSCs and the other cell types within the bone marrow, possible loss of late-adhering MSCs, and the undesired expansion of non-MSC adherent cells found in the bone marrow. The goal of this proposal is two-fold. First to overcome the limitations of traditional plastic adherence by designing a unique material with tuned mechanical and surface properties to strongly and selectively adhere MSCs in a heterogeneous population. Second, to culture and differentiate the enriched captured MSC population on the same material.