title: Human neural cell interactions with orientated electrospun nanofibers in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Electrospun nanofibers represent potent guidance substrates for nervous tissue repair. Development of nanofiber-based scaffolds for CNS repair requires, as a first step, an understanding of appropriate neural cell type-substrate interactions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Astrocyte-nanofiber interactions (e.g., adhesion, proliferation, process extension and migration) were studied by comparing human neural progenitor-derived astrocytes (hNP-ACs) and a human astrocytoma cell line (U373) with aligned polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers or blended (25% type I collagen/75% PCL) nanofibers. Neuron-nanofiber interactions were assessed using a differentiated human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  U373 cells and hNP-AC showed similar process alignment and length when associated with PCL or Type I collagen/PCL nanofibers. Cell adhesion and migration by hNP-AC were clearly improved by functionalization of nanofiber surfaces with type I collagen. Functionalized nanofibers had no such effect on U373 cells. Another clear difference between the U373 cells and hNP-AC interactions with the nanofiber substrate was proliferation; the cell line demonstrating strong proliferation, whereas the hNP-AC line showed no proliferation on either type of nanofiber. Long axonal growth (up to 600 microm in length) of SH-SY5Y neurons followed the orientation of both types of nanofibers even though adhesion of the processes to the fibers was poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of cell lines is of only limited predictive value when studying cell-substrate interactions but both morphology and alignment of human astrocytes were affected profoundly by nanofibers. Nanofiber surface functionalization with collagen significantly improved hNP-AC adhesion and migration. Alternative forms of functionalization may be required for optimal axon-nanofiber interactions.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerardo-Nava
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Führmann
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klinkhammer
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seiler
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mey
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klee
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone