Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogels - PeptiGels ® as a Platform for Hepatic Organoid Culture

Abstract A major challenge in advancing preclinical studies is the lack of robust in vitro culture systems that fully recapitulate the in vivo scenario together with limited clinical translational to humans. Organoids, as 3-dimensional (3D) self-replicating structures are increasingly being shown as powerful models for ex vivo experimentation in the field of regenerative medicine and drug discovery. Organoid formation requires the use of extracellular matrix (ECM) components to provide a 3D platform. However, the most commonly used ECM, essential for maintaining organoid growth is Matrigel and is derived from a tumorigenic source which limits its translational ability. PeptiGels ® which are self-assembling peptide hydrogels present as alternatives to traditional ECM for use in 3D culture systems. Synthetic PeptiGels ® are non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable and can be tuneable to simulate different tissue microenvironments. In this study, we validated the use of different types of PeptiGels ® for porcine hepatic organoid growth. Hepatic organoids were assessed morphologically and using molecular techniques to determine the optimum PeptiGel ® formulation. The outcome clearly demonstrated the ability of PeptiGel ® to support organoid growth and offer themselves as a technological platform for 3D cultured physiologically and clinically relevant data.