title: Developing macroporous bicontinuous materials as scaffolds for tissue engineering.
abstract: Calcareous skeletal elements (ossicles) isolated from the seastar, Pisaster giganteus, were characterized and tested as potential biocompatible substrates for cellular attachment. These ossicles have a remarkably robust open-framework architecture with an interconnected network of ca. 10 microm diameter pores. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy was used to characterize the cell-substrate interaction. Cell culturing experiments revealed that the cells firmly attach to the ossicle surface, forming cell aggregates of several layers thick. The anchored cells extended to form 'bridges' between the openings in the bicontinuous framework and the degree of coverage increased as culture time progressed. Osteoblasts grown on the ossicles were found to be viable up to 32 days after initial seeding, as proven by assaying with AlamarBlue and FDA/PI staining indicating the ossicle's potential as an alternative highly effective tissue scaffold. Given the limitation in availability of this natural material, the results presented here should be seen as offering guidelines for future development of synthetic materials with physical and chemical properties strongly conducive to bone repair and restoration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martina
authors.forename: Gayathri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Subramanyam
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Dietmar W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hutmacher
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valiyaveettil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D048429:Cell Size; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008422:Materials Testing; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D016062:Porosity; D013215:Starfish / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials