Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: TASK1

Title: Acellular lung scaffolds direct differentiation of endoderm to functional airway epithelial cells: requirement of matrix-bound HS proteoglycans.

Authors: Sharareh Shojaie, Leonardo Ermini, Cameron Ackerley, Jinxia Wang, Stephanie Chin, Behzad Yeganeh, Mélanie Bilodeau, Manpreet Sambi, Ian Rogers, Janet Rossant, Christine E Bear, Martin Post

Journal, date & volume: Stem Cell Reports, 2015 Mar 10 , 4, 419-30

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25660407

Abstract
Efficient differentiation of pluripotent cells to proximal and distal lung epithelial cell populations remains a challenging task. The 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold is a key component that regulates the interaction of secreted factors with cells during development by often binding to and limiting their diffusion within local gradients. Here we examined the role of the lung ECM in differentiation of pluripotent cells in vitro and demonstrate the robust inductive capacity of the native lung matrix alone. Extended culture of stem cell-derived definitive endoderm on decellularized lung scaffolds in defined, serum-free medium resulted in differentiation into mature airway epithelia, complete with ciliated cells, club cells, and basal cells with morphological and functional similarities to native airways. Heparitinase I, but not chondroitinase ABC, treatment of scaffolds revealed that the differentiation achieved is dependent on heparan sulfate proteoglycans and its bound factors remaining on decellularized scaffolds.