title: Guidance of neurite outgrowth on aligned electrospun polypyrrole/poly(styrene-beta-isobutylene-beta-styrene) fiber platforms.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to investigate the potential biomedical application of novel aligned electrospun polypyrrole (PPy)/poly(styrene-beta-isobutylene-beta-styrene) (SIBS) fibers. After successfully aligning the electroactive PPy/SIBS fibers based on our modified electrospinning method, we demonstrated that neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells could be highly orientated parallel to the aligned PPy/SIBS fibers. Physical interactions between the nerve cells and PPy/SIBS fibers through filopodia "sensing" were observed using atomic force microscopy. These observations indicate a role of contact guidance as a mechanism for the observed alignment. This work highlights the capacity for electroactive PPy/SIBS fibers to support and guide nerve cell differentiation through topographic cues, which is a highly desirable characteristic in medical implants for neurological applications.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, University of Wollongong, Wollongong NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kerry J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gordon G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D011108:Polymers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D020058:Styrene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013343:Styrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D011758:Pyrroles; D013343:Styrenes; C500040:poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene); C067635:polypyrrole; D020058:Styrene