title: Hydrogel-electrospun fiber mat composite coatings for neural prostheses.
abstract: Achieving stable, long-term performance of implanted neural prosthetic devices has been challenging because of implantation related neuron loss and a foreign body response that results in encapsulating glial scar formation. To improve neuron-prosthesis integration and form chronic, stable interfaces, we investigated the potential of neurotrophin-eluting hydrogel-electrospun fiber mat (EFM) composite coatings. In particular, poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEGPCL) hydrogel-poly(ε-caprolactone) EFM composites were applied as coatings for multielectrode arrays. Coatings were stable and persisted on electrode surfaces for over 1 month under an agarose gel tissue phantom and over 9 months in a PBS immersion bath. To demonstrate drug release, a neurotrophin, nerve growth factor (NGF), was loaded in the PEGPCL hydrogel layer, and coating cytotoxicity and sustained NGF release were evaluated using a PC12 cell culture model. Quantitative MTT assays showed that these coatings had no significant toxicity toward PC12 cells, and neurite extension at day 7 and 14 confirmed sustained release of NGF at biologically significant concentrations for at least 2 weeks. Our results demonstrate that hydrogel-EFM composite materials can be applied to neural prostheses to improve neuron-electrode proximity and enhance long-term device performance and function.
authors: William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University Columbus, OH, USA.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Han
authors: Shreyas S
authors: SS
authors: Rao
authors: Jed
authors: J
authors: Johnson
authors: Kunal S
authors: KS
authors: Parikh
authors: Patrick A
authors: PA
authors: Bradley
authors: John J
authors: JJ
authors: Lannutti
authors: Jessica O
authors: JO
authors: Winter