Summary
Published in Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (2020), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Janjić, Klara, et al. The response of gingiva monolayer, spheroid, and ex vivo tissue cultures to collagen membranes and bone substitute
The response of gingiva monolayer, spheroid, and ex vivo tissue cultures to collagen membranes and bone substitute
Research Overview
Collagen membranes and bone substitutes are widely used in guided tissue regeneration for damaged or diseased periodontal tissue, but their development typically starts in monolayer culture, which fails to reflect in vivo tissue organization. Spheroid cultures may mimic tissue structure and function more closely, so this study compared gingiva cell monolayers and spheroids with ex vivo gingiva.
Human gingiva cell monolayers, spheroids, and ex vivo gingiva were cultured on plastic, collagen membranes, or bone substitute. Responses were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, KI67 and caspase 3 immunohistochemistry, resazurin toxicity assays, qPCR for COL1A1, VEGF, angiogenin, IL6, and IL8, and ELISA for the same proteins.
Key Discoveries
- Gingiva monolayers, spheroids, and ex vivo tissue compared on plastic, collagen membrane, and bone substitute
- Readouts: proliferation (KI67), apoptosis (caspase 3), toxicity, and COL1A1/VEGF/ANG/IL6/IL8 expression
- Tests whether spheroids better reflect ex vivo gingiva than monolayers for biomaterial evaluation
