Bacterial cellulose as a support for the growth of retinal pigment epithelium.
The feasibility of bacterial cellulose (BC) as a novel substrate for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) culture was evaluated. Thin (41.6 ± 2.2 μm of average thickness) and heat-dried BC substrates were surface-modified via acetylation and polysaccharide adsorption, using chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose. All substrates were characterized according to their surface chemistry, wettability, energy, topography, and also regarding their permeability, dimensional stability, mechanical properties, and endotoxin content. Then, their ability to promote RPE cell adhesion and proliferation in vitro was assessed. All surface-modified BC substrates presented similar permeation coefficients with solutes of up to 300 kDa. Acetylation of BC decreased it's swelling and the amount of endotoxins. Surface modification of BC greatly enhanced the adhesion and proliferation of RPE cells. All samples showed similar stress-strain behavior; BC and acetylated BC showed the highest elastic modulus, but the latter exhibited a slightly smaller tensile strength and elongation at break as compared to pristine BC. Although similar proliferation rates were observed among the modified substrates, the acetylated ones showed higher initial cell adhesion. This difference may be mainly due to the moderately hydrophilic surface obtained after acetylation.
Sara
S
Gonçalves
Jorge
J
Padrão
‡Centre of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, IBILI-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-354, Coimbra, Portugal.|§CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal.
Inês Patrício
IP
Rodrigues
João Pedro
JP
Silva
Vítor
V
Sencadas
Senentxu
S
Lanceros-Mendez
‡Centre of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, IBILI-Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-354, Coimbra, Portugal.
Henrique
H
Girão
Fernando
F
Dourado
Lígia R
LR
Rodrigues
D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D041822:Gluconacetobacter xylinus / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D048271:Chitosan; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium