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An Engineered Cell‐Instructive Stroma for the Fabrication of a Novel Full Thickness Human Cervix Equivalent In Vitro
Author(s) -
De Gregorio Vincenza,
Imparato Giorgia,
Urciuolo Francesco,
Tornesello Maria L.,
Annunziata Clorinda,
Buonaguro Franco M.,
Netti Paolo A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced healthcare materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.288
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 2192-2659
pISSN - 2192-2640
DOI - 10.1002/adhm.201601199
Subject(s) - stromal cell , stroma , extracellular matrix , epithelium , in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , tissue engineering , biology , epithelial tissue , cervix , cell , scaffold , biomedical engineering , pathology , medicine , cancer research , immunology , biochemistry , cancer , immunohistochemistry , genetics
There is a growing interest for developing organotypic cervical models by using primary cervical cells that are able to reproduce the physiological relevant stromal microenvironment and the distinctive histology of the native cervical epithelium. Here for the first time it is reported the production of an organotypic cervical model featured by a scaffold‐free stromal tissue resembling the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition and organization of the native counterpart as well as a completely well‐differentiated epithelium. To reach this aim, human cervical microtissue precursors have been produced, characterized, and used as functional building units to fabricate a cell‐synthesized cervical stroma equivalent by means of a bottom‐up approach. Immunotypization, and molecular and morphological analyses reveal the extent of fundamental epithelial biomarkers and the presence of collagen and noncollagenous molecules, demonstrating that the natural tissue architecture and biological characteristics of cervical tissues are reproduced. The results of this study suggest that the bottom‐up technology used to produce these 3D human cervical equivalents provides a fully functional organotypic cervical model that may be used as a valuable tool to investigate the epithelial‐stromal interactions as well as for testing new therapeutics in vitro.