title: Thermoplastic polyurethane:polythiophene nanomembranes for biomedical and biotechnological applications.
abstract: Nanomembranes have been prepared by spin-coating mixtures of a polythiophene (P3TMA) derivative and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) using 20:80, 40:60, and 60:40 TPU:P3TMA weight ratios. After structural, topographical, electrochemical, and thermal characterization, properties typically related with biomedical applications have been investigated: swelling, resistance to both hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation, biocompatibility, and adsorption of type I collagen, which is an extra cellular matrix protein that binds fibronectin favoring cell adhesion processes. The swelling ability and the hydrolytic and enzymatic degradability of TPU:P3TMA membranes increases with the concentration of P3TMA. Moreover, the degradation of the blends is considerably promoted by the presence of enzymes in the hydrolytic medium, TPU:P3TMA blends behaving as biodegradable materials. On the other hand, TPU:P3TMA nanomembranes behave as bioactive platforms stimulating cell adhesion and, especially, cell viability. Type I collagen adsorption largely depends on the substrate employed to support the nanomembrane, whereas it is practically independent of the chemical nature of the polymeric material used to fabricate the nanomembrane. However, detailed microscopy study of the morphology and topography of adsorbed collagen evidence the formation of different organizations, which range from fibrils to pseudoregular honeycomb networks depending on the composition of the nanomembrane that is in contact with the protein. Scaffolds made of electroactive TPU:P3TMA nanomembranes are potential candidates for tissue engineering biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya , Avda. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pérez-Madrigal
authors.forename: Marina I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Giannotti
authors.forename: Luis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: del Valle
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Armelin
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puiggalí
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alemán
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013499:Surface Properties; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011108:Polymers; D011140:Polyurethanes; D013876:Thiophenes; C066730:polythiophene; D003094:Collagen; D048271:Chitosan