Improvements in Maturity and Stability of 3D iPSC-Derived Hepatocyte-like Cell Cultures
Siiri Suominen,
Tinja Hyypijev,
Mari Venäläinen,
Alma Yrjänäinen,
Hanna Vuorenpää,
Mari Lehti-Polojärvi,
Mikko Räsänen,
Aku Seppänen,
Jari Hyttinen,
Susanna Miettinen,
Katriina Aalto-Setälä,
Leena E. Viiri
Affiliations
Siiri Suominen
Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Tinja Hyypijev
Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Mari Venäläinen
Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Alma Yrjänäinen
Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Hanna Vuorenpää
Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Mari Lehti-Polojärvi
Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Mikko Räsänen
Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
Aku Seppänen
Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
Jari Hyttinen
Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Susanna Miettinen
Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Katriina Aalto-Setälä
Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Leena E. Viiri
Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables differentiation of human hepatocytes or hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs). Advances in 3D culturing platforms enable the development of more in vivo-like liver models that recapitulate the complex liver architecture and functionality better than traditional 2D monocultures. Moreover, within the liver, non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) are critically involved in the regulation and maintenance of hepatocyte metabolic function. Thus, models combining 3D culture and co-culturing of various cell types potentially create more functional in vitro liver models than 2D monocultures. Here, we report the establishment of 3D cultures of iPSC-HLCs alone and in co-culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hASCs). The 3D cultures were performed as spheroids or on microfluidic chips utilizing various biomaterials. Our results show that both 3D spheroid and on-chip culture enhance the expression of mature liver marker genes and proteins compared to 2D. Among the spheroid models, we saw the best functionality in iPSC-HLC monoculture spheroids. On the contrary, in the chip system, the multilineage model outperformed the monoculture chip model. Additionally, the optical projection tomography (OPT) and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system revealed changes in spheroid size and electrical conductivity during spheroid culture, suggesting changes in cell–cell connections. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that iPSC-HLCs can successfully be cultured in 3D as spheroids and on microfluidic chips, and co-culturing iPSC-HLCs with NPCs enhances their functionality. These 3D in vitro liver systems are promising human-derived platforms usable in various liver-related studies, specifically when using patient-specific iPSCs.
