title: The influence of electrospun fibre size on Schwann cell behaviour and axonal outgrowth.
abstract: Fibrous substrates functioning as temporary extracellular matrices can be prepared easily by electrospinning, yielding fibrous matrices suitable as internal fillers for nerve guidance channels. In this study, gelatin micro- or nano-fibres were prepared by electrospinning by tuning the gelatin concentration and solution flow rate. The effect of gelatin fibre diameter on cell adhesion and proliferation was tested in vitro using explant cultures of Schwann cells (SC) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Cell adhesion was assessed by quantifying the cell spreading area, actin cytoskeleton organization and focal adhesion complex formation. Nano-fibres promoted cell spreading and actin cytoskeleton organization, increasing cellular adhesion and the proliferation rate. However, both migration rate and motility, quantified by transwell and time lapse assays respectively, were greater in cells cultured on micro-fibres. Finally, there was more DRG axon outgrowth on micro-fibres. These data suggest that the topography of electrospun gelatin fibres can be adjusted to modulate SC and axon organization and that both nano- and micro-fibres are promising fillers for the design of devices for peripheral nerve repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy. Electronic address: sara.gnavi@unito.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gnavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy. Electronic address: benedettaelena.fornasari@unito.it.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Fornasari
authors.affiliation: Politecnico di Torino, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico of Torino, Torino 10100, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.tondaturo@polito.it.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonda-Turo
authors.affiliation: Politecnico di Torino, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico of Torino, Torino 10100, Italy; CNR-IPCF UOS, Pisa 56124, Italy. Electronic address: gianluca.ciardelli@polito.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciardelli
authors.affiliation: Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, Torino 10100, Italy. Electronic address: marco.zanetti@unito.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy; Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri-Ottolenghi Foundation, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy. Electronic address: stefano.geuna@unito.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, Orbassano 10043, Italy. Electronic address: isabelle.perroteau@unito.it.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perroteau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin
keywords: Axon outgrowth; Cell adhesion; Cell spreading; Electrospun fibres; Extracellular matrix; Nerve tissue engineering