Bioinspired Spatially Ordered Multicellular Lobules for Liver Regeneration.

Abstract

Cell therapy is a promising strategy for acute liver failure (ALF), while its therapeutic efficacy is often limited by cell loss and poor arrangement. Here, inspired by liver microunits, we propose a novel spatially ordered multicellular lobules for the ALF treatment by using a microfluidic continuous spinning technology. The microfluidics with multiple microchannels was constructed by assembling parallel capillaries. Sodium alginate (Alg) solution encapsulating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), hepatocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are introduced into the middle channel and the 6 parallel outer channels of the microfluidics, respectively. Simultaneously, Ca²⁺-loaded solutions are pumped through the innermost and outermost channels, forming a hollow microfiber with hepatocytes and MSCs alternately surrounding the HUVECs. These microfibers could highly resemble the cord-like structure of liver lobules, bringing about outstanding liver-like functions. We have demonstrated that in ALF rats, our biomimetic lobules can effectively suppress excessive inflammatory responses, decrease cell necrosis, and promote regenerative pathways, leading to satisfied therapeutic efficacy. These findings underscore the potential of spatially ordered multicellular microfibers in treating related diseases and improving traditional clinical methods.