Bioengineering strategies to control epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition for studies of cardiac development and disease

Dawn Bannerman, Simon Pascual-Gil, Marie Floryan, Milica Radisic
2021 APL Bioengineering  
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that occurs in a wide range of tissues and environments, in response to numerous factors and conditions, and plays a critical role in development, disease, and regeneration. The process involves epithelia transitioning into a mobile state and becoming mesenchymal cells. The investigation of EMT processes has been important for understanding developmental biology and disease progression, enabling the advancement of treatment approaches for
more » ... variety of disorders such as cancer and myocardial infarction. More recently, tissue engineering efforts have also recognized the importance of controlling the EMT process. In this review, we provide an overview of the EMT process and the signaling pathways and factors that control it, followed by a discussion of bioengineering strategies to control EMT. Important biological, biomaterial, biochemical, and physical factors and properties that have been utilized to control EMT are described, as well as the studies that have investigated the modulation of EMT in tissue engineering and regenerative approaches in vivo, with a specific focus on the heart. Novel tools that can be used to characterize and assess EMT are discussed and finally, we close with a perspective on new bioengineering methods that have the potential to transform our ability to control EMT, ultimately leading to new therapies.
doi:10.1063/5.0033710 pmid:33948525 pmcid:PMC8068500 fatcat:z2qj6qk2rbcorfor3pxcbu5vki