The Problem:
Hydrogel-based tissue scaffolds are designed to mimic native extracellular matrix (ECM) to provide the framework for cell and tissue regeneration for regenerative medicine or research involving human cells. Human ECM is extremely complex, and difficult to reproduce. Current conventional tissue scaffolds are primarily produced from animal or bacteria ECM that introduce endotoxins into human tissues which can negatively impact healthy tissues or testing results. Sourcing these ‘building blocks and support systems’ are quite limited, and even producing human derived ECMs typically come from material difficult to obtain.
The Solution:
Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed entirely human-sourced, organoid-derived hydrogel that will overcome many of the major barriers that are commercially available. The hydrogels are created from self-assembled human cell-based, lab-grown organoids, and can be used for safer, more accurate human tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications, like tissue grafts, 3-D bioprinting and tissue modeling, or other hydrogel embedding processes.
Benefits: