title: Geometrical versus Random β-TCP Scaffolds: Exploring the Effects on Schwann Cell Growth and Behavior.
abstract: Numerous studies have demonstrated that Schwann cells (SCs) play a role in nerve regeneration; however, their role in innervating a bioceramic scaffold for potential application in bone regeneration is still unknown. Here we report the cell growth and functional behavior of SCs on β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds arranged in 3D printed-lattice (P-β-TCP) and randomly-porous, template-casted (N-β-TCP) structures. Our results indicate that SCs proliferated well and expressed the phenotypic markers p75LNGFR and the S100-β subunit of SCs as well as displayed growth morphology on both scaffolds, but SCs showed spindle-shaped morphology with a significant degree of SCs alignment on the P-β-TCP scaffolds, seen to a lesser degree in the N-β-TCP scaffold. The gene expressions of nerve growth factor (β-ngf), neutrophin-3 (nt-3), platelet-derived growth factor (pdgf-bb), and vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf-a) were higher at day 7 than at day 14. While no significant differences in protein secretion were measured between these last two time points, the scaffolds promoted the protein secretion at day 3 compared to that on the cell culture plates. These results together imply that the β-TCP scaffolds can support SC cell growth and that the 3D-printed scaffold appeared to significantly promote the alignment of SCs along the struts. Further studies are needed to investigate the early and late stage relationship between gene expression and protein secretion of SCs on the scaffolds with refined characteristics, thus better exploring the potential of SCs to support vascularization and innervation in synthetic bone grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sweet
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America; Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yunqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czisch
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Witek
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smay
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Giles W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yunzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000077214:Becaplermin; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016062:Porosity; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; D000077214:Becaplermin