Morphological studies on the culture of kidney epithelial cells in a fiber-in-fiber bioreactor design with hollow fiber membranes.
A hollow fiber-in-fiber-based bioreactor system was tested for the applicability to host kidney epithelial cells as a model system for a bioartificial kidney. Hollow fibers were prepared from polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polysulfone-polyvinylpyrollidinone (PVP) blend (PSU) and poly(acrylonitrile-N-vinylpyrollidinone) copolymer P(AN-NVP). Hollow fibers with smaller and larger diameters were prepared so that the smaller fitted into the larger, with a distance of 50-100 microm in between. The following material combinations as outer and inner fiber were applied: PAN-PAN; PSU-PSU, PSU-P(AN-NVP). Madin-Darby kidney epithelial cells (MDCK) were seeded in the interfiber space and cultured for a period up to 14 days. Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were used to follow the adhesion and growth of cells, and to characterize their morphology. As a result, we found that MDCK cells were able to grow in the interfiber space in mono- and multilayers without signs of systemic degeneration. Comparison of the different materials showed that PAN and P(AN-NVP) provided the best growth conditions, indicated by a tight attachment of cells on hollow fiber membrane, and subsequent proliferation and development of structural elements of normal epithelia, such as tight junctions and microvilli. In conclusion, the fiber-in-fiber design seems to be an interesting system for the construction of a bioartificial kidney.
Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany.
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F
Fey-Lamprecht
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W
Albrecht
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T
Groth
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T
Weigel
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U
Gross
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D019149:Bioreactors; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004285:Dogs; D004867:Equipment Design; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013450:Sulfones / Q000737:chemistry*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology*
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D013450:Sulfones; C010504:polyacrylonitrile; C017662:polysulfone P 1700