@article{NietzerBaurSieberetal.2016,
  author    = {Nietzer, Sarah and Baur, Florentin and Sieber, Stefan and Hansmann, Jan and Schwarz, Thomas and Stoffer, Carolin and H{\"a}fner, Heide and Gasser, Martin and Waaga-Gasser, Ana Maria and Walles, Heike and Dandekar, Gudrun},
  title     = {Mimicking metastases including tumor stroma: a new technique to generate a three-dimensional colorectal cancer model based on a biological decellularized intestinal scaffold},
  series = {Tissue Engineering Part C-Methods},
  volume    = {22},
  journal   = {Tissue Engineering Part C-Methods},
  number    = {7},
  doi       = {10.1089/ten.tec.2015.0557},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-188202},
  pages     = {621-635},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Tumor models based on cancer cell lines cultured two-dimensionally (2D) on plastic lack histological complexity and functionality compared to the native microenvironment. Xenogenic mouse tumor models display higher complexity but often do not predict human drug responses accurately due to species-specific differences. We present here a three-dimensional (3D) in vitro colon cancer model based on a biological scaffold derived from decellularized porcine jejunum (small intestine submucosa+mucosa, SISmuc). Two different cell lines were used in monoculture or in coculture with primary fibroblasts. After 14 days of culture, we demonstrated a close contact of human Caco2 colon cancer cells with the preserved basement membrane on an ultrastructural level as well as morphological characteristics of a well-differentiated epithelium. To generate a tissue-engineered tumor model, we chose human SW480 colon cancer cells, a reportedly malignant cell line. Malignant characteristics were confirmed in 2D cell culture: SW480 cells showed higher vimentin and lower E-cadherin expression than Caco2 cells. In contrast to Caco2, SW480 cells displayed cancerous characteristics such as delocalized E-cadherin and nuclear location of beta-catenin in a subset of cells. One central drawback of 2D cultures-especially in consideration of drug testing-is their artificially high proliferation. In our 3D tissue-engineered tumor model, both cell lines showed decreased numbers of proliferating cells, thus correlating more precisely with observations of primary colon cancer in all stages (UICC I-IV). Moreover, vimentin decreased in SW480 colon cancer cells, indicating a mesenchymal to epithelial transition process, attributed to metastasis formation. Only SW480 cells cocultured with fibroblasts induced the formation of tumor-like aggregates surrounded by fibroblasts, whereas in Caco2 cocultures, a separate Caco2 cell layer was formed separated from the fibroblast compartment beneath. To foster tissue generation, a bioreactor was constructed for dynamic culture approaches. This induced a close tissue-like association of cultured tumor cells with fibroblasts reflecting tumor biopsies. Therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was effective only in 3D coculture. In conclusion, our 3D tumor model reflects human tissue-related tumor characteristics, including lower tumor cell proliferation. It is now available for drug testing in metastatic context-especially for substances targeting tumor-stroma interactions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GroeberEngelhardtLangeetal.2016,
  author    = {Groeber, Florian and Engelhardt, Lisa and Lange, Julia and Kurdyn, Szymon and Schmid, Freia F. and R{\"u}cker, Christoph and Mielke, Stephan and Walles, Heike and Hansmann, Jan},
  title     = {A First Vascularized Skin Equivalent as an Alternative to Animal Experimentation},
  series = {ALTEX - Alternatives to Animal Experimentation},
  volume    = {33},
  journal   = {ALTEX - Alternatives to Animal Experimentation},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.14573/altex.1604041},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-164438},
  pages     = {415-422},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Tissue-engineered skin equivalents mimic key aspects of the human skin, and can thus be employed as wound coverage for large skin defects or as in vitro test systems as an alternative to animal models. However, current skin equivalents lack a functional vasculature limiting clinical and research applications. This study demonstrates the generation of a vascularized skin equivalent with a perfused vascular network by combining a biological vascularized scaffold (BioVaSc) based on a decellularized segment of a porcine jejunum and a tailored bioreactor system. Briefly, the BioVaSc was seeded with human fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and human microvascular endothelial cells. After 14 days at the air-liquid interface, hematoxylin \& eosin and immunohistological staining revealed a specific histological architecture representative of the human dermis and epidermis including a papillary-like architecture at the dermal-epidermal-junction. The formation of the skin barrier was measured non-destructively using impedance spectroscopy. Additionally, endothelial cells lined the walls of the formed vessels that could be perfused with a physiological volume flow. Due to the presence of a complex in-vivo-like vasculature, the here shown skin equivalent has the potential for skin grafting and represents a sophisticated in vitro model for dermatological research.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BrendtkeWiehlGroeberetal.2016,
  author    = {Brendtke, Rico and Wiehl, Michael and Groeber, Florian and Schwarz, Thomas and Walles, Heike and Hansmann, Jan},
  title     = {Feasibility Study on a Microwave-Based Sensor for Measuring Hydration Level Using Human Skin Models},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0153145},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-179934},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Tissue dehydration results in three major types of exsiccosis—hyper-, hypo-, or isonatraemia. All three types entail alterations of salt concentrations leading to impaired biochemical processes, and can finally cause severe morbidity. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a microwave-based sensor technology for the non-invasive measurement of the hydration status. Electromagnetic waves at high frequencies interact with molecules, especially water. Hence, if a sample contains free water molecules, this can be detected in a reflected microwave signal. To develop the sensor system, human three-dimensional skin equivalents were instituted as a standardized test platform mimicking reproducible exsiccosis scenarios. Therefore, skin equivalents with a specific hydration and density of matrix components were generated and microwave measurements were performed. Hydration-specific spectra allowed deriving the hydration state of the skin models. A further advantage of the skin equivalents was the characterization of the impact of distinct skin components on the measured signals to investigate mechanisms of signal generation. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a non-invasive microwave-based hydration sensor technology. The sensor bears potential to be integrated in a wearable medical device for personal health monitoring.},
  language  = {en}
}