title: Surface-modified nanofibrous biomaterial bridge for the enhancement and control of neurite outgrowth.
abstract: Biomaterial bridges constructed from electrospun fibers offer a promising alternative to traditional nerve tissue regeneration substrates. Aligned and unaligned polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun fibers were prepared and functionalized with the extracellular matrix proteins collagen and laminin using covalent and physical adsorption attachment chemistries. The effect of the protein modified and native PCL nanofiber scaffolds on cell proliferation, neurite outgrowth rate, and orientation was examined with neuronlike PC12 cells. All protein modified scaffolds showed enhanced cellular adhesion and neurite outgrowth compared to unmodified PCL scaffolds. Neurite orientation was found to be in near perfect alignment with the fiber axis for cells grown on aligned fibers, with difference angles of less than 7° from the fiber axis, regardless of the surface chemistry. The bioavailability of PCL fibers with covalently attached laminin was found to be identical to that of PCL fibers with physically adsorbed laminin, indicating that the covalent chemistry did not change the protein conformation into a less active form and the covalent attachment of protein is a suitable method for enhancing the biocompatibility of tissue engineering scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA. nicole.zander@arl.army.mil
authors.forename: Nicole E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Zander
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Orlicki
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rawlett
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Beebe
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007797:Laminin; D003094:Collagen