Novel Method to Spatially Program Stem Cell Fate
- Technology Benefits
- • Hydrogels can be used as a platform for developing synthetic niches for various stem cells and stem cell cultures• Commercialized kits can be sold to enable a consumer to immobilize a particular molecule of interest• Hydrogel substrates provide the immobilization of the bioactive signal at desired locations with spatial control• The current technology is able to incorporate more bioactive signals without compromising the hydrogel formation
- Detailed Technology Description
- Stem cells are capable of both self-renewing and differentiating into more specialized cells. These two defining characteristics make stem cells a powerful tool for biological research, as they provide the potential to regenerate tissue in a living organism and grow organs in culture.Our ability to probe human stem cell fate has been hindered by the inability to create cellular microenvironments that provide a platform to spatially program stem cell fate. The invention described here provides the cellular microenvironment required to investigate the signaling molecules involved in the induction of stem cell fate.
- Others
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State Of Development
The current invention has been tested in-vitro. Additional Technologies by these Inventors
- Multivalent Targeting Strategy for Drug Carriers
- Multi-Arm Block-Copolymers for Multifunctional Self-Assembled Systems
Tech ID/UC Case
22462/2011-100-0
Related Cases
2011-100-0
- *Abstract
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UCLA researchers in the laboratory of Dr. Tatiana Segura have developed a hydrogel that mimics the natural stem cell niche to investigate the signaling molecules required to spatially program stem cell fate. Current methods that control stem cell fate utilize unspecific chemistry to immobilize bioactive signals, such as adhesion peptides and protein growth factors. The present invention introduces a novel technique that employs two methods to immobilize the bioactive signals to specific locations to spatially program stem cell fate. The first part of the invention provides a hydrogel substrate that contains a caged peptide that can be activated with UV light. Following activation by UV light, the caged peptide is able to interact with bioactive signals. The second part of the invention utilizes an enzyme to immobilize the bioactive signals to the hydrogel. The activation of the hydrogel-bound peptide and the introduction of the enzyme enable immobilization of the bioactive signal at desired locations and stereochemistry. When functionalized with bioactive signals, hydrogel-based artificial niches can be used to control stem cell fate. This invention provides a milieu to investigate the complex signaling patterns required for the induction of stem cell fate.
- *Principal Investigator
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Name: Tatiana Segura
Department:
Name: Jianjun Zhang
Department:
Name: Donald Griffin
Department:
- Country/Region
- USA
