Determining the Effect of Extracellular Matrix on the Differentiation and Functionality of Stem Cells for Bioengineering Organs

Overview

More than 6,500 Americans each year have died waiting for an organ transplant, and of those who receive a transplant only one out of four are biologically correct, however bioengineering organs through scaffolding could potentially become a new method in solving this issue. The experiment was designed to study whether the extracellular matrix (ECM) chicken liver scaffold could stimulate functional proliferation and attachment of the WB-F344 stem cell line, and induce stem cell differentiation from unspecialized cells to specialized hepatocytes. After obtaining the ECM from the process of decellularization using one percent of Triton X-100 and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, the cells were sent for a Hematoxylin and Eosin stain for confirmation that the cells show favorability with the matrix. The ECM was then seeded with the WB-F344 stem cells, to evaluate compatibility and differentiation. Based on the results the cells were confirmed to attach onto the matrix. A t-test was performed to test the significance and at a p-value of 0.05, the results were significant that the cells have differentiated and started to function by releasing albumin, a protein produced by hepatocytes. The cells were favorable onto the matrix, which makes it a potential and multi-compatible scaffold that promotes differentiation and whole organ regeneration.