title: Mouse retinal progenitor cell dynamics on electrospun poly (ϵ-caprolactone).
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma are among the many retinal degenerative diseases where retinal cell death leads to irreversible vision loss and blindness. Working toward a cell-replacement-based therapy for such diseases, a number of research groups have recently evaluated the feasibility of using retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) cultured and transplanted on biodegradable polymer substrates to replace damaged retinal tissue. Appropriate polymer substrate design is essential to providing a three-dimensional environment that can facilitate cell adhesion, proliferation and post-transplantation migration into the host environment. In this study, we have designed and fabricated a novel, ultra-thin electrospun poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold with microscale fiber diameters, appropriate porosity for infiltration by RPCs, and biologically compatible mechanical characteristics. We have verified that our electrospun PCL scaffold supports robust mouse RPC proliferation, adhesion, and differentiation in vitro, as well as migration into mouse retinal explants. These promising results make PCL a strong candidate for further development as a cell transplantation substrate in retinal regenerative research.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School , 20 Staniford Street , Boston , MA , 02114 , USA.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Meghan Elisabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Stephen Michael
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Redenti
authors.forename: Gary Edmund
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Wnek
authors.forename: Michael Joseph
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002208:Caproates / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D007783:Lactones / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016062:Porosity; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002208:Caproates; D007783:Lactones; C121056:caprolactone; D012243:Rhodopsin