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siRNA nanoparticle functionalization of nanostructured scaffolds enables controlled multilineage differentiation of stem cells

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  • Department of Molecular Biology
  • Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center
  • Aarhus School of Engineering (ASE)
  • Stereological Research Laboratory
  • Electron Microscopy Laboratory
  • Department of Clinical Medicine - Orthopaedic surgery
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy
  • Department of Molecular Biology
  • Faculty of Science
The creation of complex tissues and organs is the ultimate goal in tissue engineering. Engineered morphogenesis necessitates spatially controlled development of multiple cell types within a scaffold implant. We present a novel method to achieve this by adhering nanoparticles containing different small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) into nanostructured scaffolds. This allows spatial retention of the RNAs within nanopores until their cellular delivery. The released siRNAs were capable of gene silencing BCL2L2 and TRIB2, in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), enhancing osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation, respectively. This approach for enhancing a single type of differentiation is immediately applicable to all areas of tissue engineering. Different nanoparticles localized to spatially distinct locations within a single implant allowed two different tissue types to develop in controllable areas of an implant. As a consequence of this, we predict that complex tissues and organs can be engineered by the in situ development of multiple cell types guided by spatially restricted nanoparticles.
Original languageEnglish
JournalMolecular Therapy
Volume18
Issue11
Pages (from-to)2018-2027
Number of pages10
ISSN1525-0016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010

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