In-depth analysis of the pancreatic extracellular matrix during development for next generation tissue engineering

The pancreas is a complex organ consisting of differentiated cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), which together enable its functions, including exocrine secretion and hormone production. Alt-hough much is known about the intrinsic factors that control pancreas development, under-standing of the microenvironment surrounding pancreatic cells remains incomplete. This envi-ronment is composed of various cells and ECM components, which play a critical role in main-taining tissue organization and homeostasis. In this study, we applied mass spectrometry to identify and quantify the ECM composition of the developing pancreas at embryonic E14.5 and perinatal P1 stages. Our proteomic analysis identified 160 ECM proteins that displayed a dynamic expression profile with a shift in collagens and proteoglycans. Furthermore, we used atomic force microscopy to measure the biomechanical properties of the ECM and found that the whole pan-creas ECM is relatively soft with no significant change during pancreas maturation. Finally, we developed a decellularization protocol for P1 pancreatic tissues, which preserved the 3D organi-zation of the ECM and can be used for recellularization studies. Our findings provide insights into the composition and biomechanics of the pancreatic embryonic and perinatal ECM, offering a foundation for future studies investigating the dynamic interactions between the ECM and pan-creatic cells.