title: Manufacture of PLGA multiple-channel conduits with precise hierarchical pore architectures and in vitro/vivo evaluation for spinal cord injury.
abstract: By the method of injection molding combined with thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), a novel nerve conduit with a plurality of channels and macro-/microporous architecture was fabricated using poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA, 75:25; Mn=1.22x10(5)). The diameter of the conduits and the number of channels could be regulated by changing the parameters of the mold, and the porosity of the conduit was as high as 95.4%. Meanwhile, the hierarchical pore architecture of the walls could be controlled through varying the solution concentration and the contents of porogen. The degradation study in vitro showed that 7-channel conduit could hold its apparent geometry for about 12 weeks in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at 37degreesC, and the pH values of the degradation solution were detected in the range 4.1-4.5. The influences of the conduit architecture on the cell attachment, spreading, and proliferation were evaluated by culturing rat mesenchymal stem cells alone or together with Schwann cells in vitro. The implantation of the PLGA conduit in the spinal cord showed that it had good biocompatibility, and no obvious inflammatory response was detected. Therefore, the results implied that these PLGA multiple-channel nerve conduits have the potential use for spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, BME Center, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Liumin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chenguang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ngiam
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Daping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Yuanshan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Seeram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048430:Cell Shape; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012995:Solubility; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid