Biofabrication of Advanced Organotypic Tissues in Membrane Biohybrid Systems

Advanced organotypic tissues made of polymeric membranes and human cells, in both homotypic and heterotypic co-culture systems, will be presented in this work as an ambitious attempt for the biofabrication of self-renewing human tissue models. Polymeric membranes mimic the in-vivo 3D microenvironment, recapitulating the natural niches for hosting cells and promoting cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Membranes with specific properties provide the biochemical stimuli and mechanical support able to modulate cellular responses affecting their adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, porous semipermeable membranes were utilized for the compartmentalization and the physical separation of cells favoring in the meantime their cross-talk communication by the selective mass transfer of the secreted paracrine factors, and thus mimicking the in vivo physiological cell niches. Innovative culture strategies, by using engineered membrane biohybrid systems for cell compartmentalization and colonization were realized.