title: Characterisation of cell-substrate interactions between Schwann cells and three-dimensional fibrin hydrogels containing orientated nanofibre topographical cues.
abstract: The generation of complex three-dimensional bioengineered scaffolds that are capable of mimicking the molecular and topographical cues of the extracellular matrix found in native tissues is a field of expanding research. The systematic development of such scaffolds requires the characterisation of cell behaviour in response to the individual components of the scaffold. In the present investigation, we studied cell-substrate interactions between purified populations of Schwann cells and three-dimensional fibrin hydrogel scaffolds, in the presence or absence of multiple layers of highly orientated electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibres. Embedded Schwann cells remained viable within the fibrin hydrogel for up to 7 days (the longest time studied); however, cell behaviour in the hydrogel was somewhat different to that observed on the two-dimensional fibrin substrate: Schwann cells failed to proliferate in the fibrin hydrogel, whereas cell numbers increased steadily on the two-dimensional fibrin substrate. Schwann cells within the fibrin hydrogel developed complex process branching patterns, but, when presented with orientated nanofibres, showed a strong tendency to redistribute themselves onto the nanofibres, where they extended long processes that followed the longitudinal orientation of the nanofibres. The process length along nanofibre-containing fibrin hydrogel reached near-maximal levels (for the present experimental conditions) as early as 1 day after culturing. The ability of this three-dimensional, extracellular matrix-mimicking scaffold to support Schwann cell survival and provide topographical cues for rapid process extension suggest that it may be an appropriate device design for the bridging of experimental lesions of the peripheral nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.|Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hodde
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.|Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Jülich, Germany.|EURON - European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerardo-Nava
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wöhlk
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Engineering and Textile Implants, AME - Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weinandy
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Engineering and Textile Implants, AME - Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jockenhövel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kriebel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.|Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Jülich, Germany.|Department of Neurosurgery, Evangelic Hospital Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Haktan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Altinova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harry W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
authors.affiliation: DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials and Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.|Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.affiliation: EURON - European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Institute of Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.|Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.|Laboratorio de Regeneración Nerviosa, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Toledo, Spain.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.|Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Translational Brain Medicine (JARA Brain), Jülich, Germany.|EURON - European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D061251:Primary Cell Culture / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D005337:Fibrin
keywords: extracellular matrix; peripheral nerve; regeneration; tissue engineering