Nanotechnology-based cell sheet engineering for regenerative medicine

In order to avoid several complications resulted from biodegradable scaffolds or single cell injection, we have developed "cell sheet engineering" by utilizing nanotechnology-based temperature-responsive culture dishes. Since temperature-responsive polymers are covalently grafted on the dishes, various types of cells adhere and proliferate on them at 37°C, but are spontaneously detached only by reducing temperature below 32°C without any need for proteolytic enzyme. All the confluent cells are noninvasively harvested as a single contiguous cell sheets with intact cell-cell junctions and deposited extracellular matrix. We have utilized these harvested cell sheets for various tissue reconstruction including ocular surfaces, periodontal ligament, cardiac patches as well as bladder.