title: Realisation and characterization of conductive hollow fibers for neuronal tissue engineering.
abstract: In this article, conductive hollow fibers have been fabricated using melt spinning technique. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) have been used to fabricate conductive poly-caprolactone (PCL) composites. The hollow fibers have inner and outer diameter in the range of 300 µm and 500 µm, respectively. Critical parameters to tune the dimension of hollow fibers have been defined following two-dimensions mathematical model. Evaluation of the mechanical properties showed that the incorporation of 1-3 wt % MWNTs and 5-8 wt % P3HT increased Young Modulus of 10% and 20% respectively, compared with pure PCL. The electrical property assessment demonstrated that a minimum incorporation of 3 wt % MWNT and 8 wt % P3HT in PCL matrix transformed composite materials into conductive materials. In addition, SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were seeded on the fabricated samples an their adhesion, proliferation and neurite length growth were analysed. In particular we observed that these materials promoted cell activities and in particular on MWNT/PCL composites there was a significant increase of neurite growth.
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.|Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, 35131, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gattazzo
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.|Department of Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 16, Pisa, 56122, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.
authors.forename: Yudan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Whulanza
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taverni
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.|Department of Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 16, Pisa, 56122, Italy.
authors.forename: Arti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
authors.affiliation: Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy.|Department of Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 16, Pisa, 56122, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vozzi
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009417:Nerve Tissue; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011108:Polymers; D013876:Thiophenes; C000588862:poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)
keywords: Conductive polymers; carbon nanotubes; composite hollow fibers; doping process; impedance measurement; mechanical characterization; melt spinning; poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)