title: Endothelial vacuolization induced by highly permeable silicon membranes.
abstract: Assays for initiating, controlling and studying endothelial cell behavior and blood vessel formation have applications in developmental biology, cancer and tissue engineering. In vitro vasculogenesis models typically combine complex three-dimensional gels of extracellular matrix proteins with other stimuli like growth factor supplements. Biomaterials with unique micro- and nanoscale features may provide simpler substrates to study endothelial cell morphogenesis. In this work, patterns of nanoporous, nanothin silicon membranes (porous nanocrystalline silicon, or pnc-Si) are fabricated to control the permeability of an endothelial cell culture substrate. Permeability on the basal surface of primary and immortalized endothelial cells causes vacuole formation and endothelial organization into capillary-like structures. This phenomenon is repeatable, robust and controlled entirely by patterns of free-standing, highly permeable pnc-Si membranes. Pnc-Si is a new biomaterial with precisely defined micro- and nanoscale features that can be used as a unique in vitro platform to study endothelial cell behavior and vasculogenesis.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Box 270168, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
authors: Barrett J
authors: BJ
authors: Nehilla
authors: SiMPore Inc., 150 Lucius Gordon Dr. Suite 119, West Henrietta, NY 14586, USA.
authors: Nakul
authors: N
authors: Nataraj
authors: SiMPore Inc., 150 Lucius Gordon Dr. Suite 119, West Henrietta, NY 14586, USA.
authors: Thomas R
authors: TR
authors: Gaborski
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Box 270168, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. Electronic address: jmcgrath@bme.rochester.edu.
authors: James L
authors: JL
authors: McGrath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D016062:Porosity; D012825:Silicon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012825:Silicon
keywords: Biomaterials; Membranes; Nanoporous materials; Silicon; Tissue engineering