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Cell culture on high-extension surfaces:
Novel technology in support of regenerative medicine
Thomas M. Quinn and Derek H. Rosenzweig
While seeking ways for improved culture of chondrocytes for cartilage tissue
engineering, we have developed novel technology for cell culture on extendable
surfaces. The technology consists of a computer-controlled iris-like mechanical
device which can slowly expand (or contract) a transparent, high-extension silicone
rubber culture surface. These developments led to a CHRP-funded collaboration
between our laboratory in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McGill, and
the Matrix Dynamics Group of Dr. Boris Hinz in the Faculty of Dentistry at the
University of Toronto. Also in collaboration with Prof. Paul Martineau of the McGill
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, we have since shown that these new methods
can indeed produce superior cartilage cell populations for applications in cell-based
therapies.
Applications of this apparatus are not limited to cartilage cells. Other work
has highlighted the effects of low frequency mechanical stimulation on stem cell
differentiation to adipocytes (fat cells) and osteoblasts (bone-forming cells), and
monocyte differentiation to osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells) in collaborations with
Prof. Monzur Murshed and with Prof. Svetlana Komarova of the McGill Faculty of
Dentistry, mechanotransduction phenomena in cells of the intervertebral disk in
collaboration with Prof. Lisbet Haglund of McGill’s Orthopaedic Research
Laboratory, and biomaterials effects in collaboration with Prof. Showan Nazhat of
McGill’s Department of Mining and Materials Engineering. Recent work
demonstrates significant mechanical influences on the mediation of neurite
outgrowth from neuronal-like cell lines, which sets the stage for future
collaborations aiming for applications in nerve regeneration.