Browsing by Author "Egaña, José Tomas"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Development of a Hibernation-Inspired Preservation Strategy to Enhance the Clinical Translation of Photosynthetic Biomaterials
    (2023) Corrales-Orovio, Rocio; Castillo, Valentina; Rozas Rojas, Pablo; Schenck, Thilo L.; Egaña, José Tomas
    Photosynthetic biomaterials have emerged as a promising approach for delivering oxygen and other bioactive molecules in several biomedical applications. This technology is based on the use of standard biomaterials loaded with photosynthetic cells for the controlled release of oxygen at the target site. However, as well as for other cell-based approaches, a main drawback for their clinical translation is the low shelf-life of living materials. Here, the potential of inducing a dormant hibernation-inspired state to preserve photosynthetic biomaterials for clinical applications is explored. First, a protocol to preserve microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is optimized and then applied to photosynthetic scaffolds, showing that the viability and functionality of the biomaterial is preserved for up to 6 weeks. To evaluate the clinical viability of this approach, both fresh and preserved photosynthetic scaffolds are implanted in a full-skin defect mouse model. The safety of this approach is evaluated and confirmed by several means, including clinical parameters, histological assays, and local and systemic molecular analysis. Altogether, for the first time the successful preservation of photosynthetic biomaterials through a hibernation-inspired strategy is described here, which could have a tremendous impact for the clinical translation of these materials as well as other photosynthetic therapies., Photosynthetic biomaterials have garnered attention for local and controlled delivery of oxygen to tissues. A novel hibernation-inspired preservation method is presented, extending the lifespan of photosynthetic scaffolds. The research demonstrates successful preservation for up to 6 weeks without cryopreservation agents, demonstrating in vivo safety and applicability. This advancement significantly enhances the clinical potential of photosynthetic materials and related therapies.image
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Development of a Novel Perfusable Solution for ex vivo Preservation: Towards Photosynthetic Oxygenation for Organ Transplantation
    (Frontiers Media SA, 2021) Veloso Gimenez, Valentina; Escamilla, Rosalba; Necuñir, David; Corrales Orovio, Rocio; Riveros, Sergio; Marino, Carlo; Ehrenfeld, Carolina; Guzman, Christian Dani; Boric, Mauricio P.; Rebolledo, Rolando; Egaña, José Tomas
    Oxygen is the key molecule for aerobic metabolism, but no animal cells can produce it, creating an extreme dependency on external supply. In contrast, microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms, therefore, they are able to produce oxygen as plant cells do. As hypoxia is one of the main issues in organ transplantation, especially during preservation, the main goal of this work was to develop the first generation of perfusable photosynthetic solutions, exploring its feasibility for ex vivo organ preservation. Here, the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was incorporated in a standard preservation solution, and key aspects such as alterations in cell size, oxygen production and survival were studied. Osmolarity and rheological features of the photosynthetic solution were comparable to human blood. In terms of functionality, the photosynthetic solution proved to be not harmful and to provide sufficient oxygen to support the metabolic requirement of zebrafish larvae and rat kidney slices. Thereafter, isolated porcine kidneys were perfused, and microalgae reached all renal vasculature, without inducing damage. After perfusion and flushing, no signs of tissue damage were detected, and recovered microalgae survived the process. Altogether, this work proposes the use of photosynthetic microorganisms as vascular oxygen factories to generate and deliver oxygen in isolated organs, representing a novel and promising strategy for organ preservation.