title: Pullulan-based hydrogel for smooth muscle cell culture.
abstract: A hydrogel was prepared from pullulan and evaluated as a novel biomaterial for vascular engineering. Using a crosslinking process with sodium trimetaphosphate in aqueous solution, homogeneous, transparent, and easy-to-handle pullulan gels were obtained with water-content higher than 90%. A circular punch was used to cut 6-mm diameter and 2-mm thickness discs for cell culture. Environmental scanning electron microscopy analysis of hydrated gels revealed a smooth surface, on which rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells were successfully seeded. The absence of cytotoxicity was evidenced by a live/dead assay. Fluorescence-labeled cells were observed adhering and progressively spreading out on the surface of the material. Cellular proliferation was followed for up to 1 week using an MTT assay. In addition, a complete in vitro degradation of the gels was achieved in 3 h upon incubation in a pullulanase solution (44 U/mL). In conclusion, we have shown the feasibility of preparing a biocompatible pullulan-based hydrogel that could support vascular cell culture. Based on these promising results, future studies will focus on the seeding of vascular cells on tubular-shaped hydrogels and the in vivo implantation of these new biomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U698, Bio-ingénierie Cardiovasculaire, CHU X. Bichat, Paris, F-75018, France.
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Autissier
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Letourneur
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Le Visage
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020100:Hydrogels; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005936:Glucans; D020100:Hydrogels; C009109:pullulan