Biocompatibility of different nanostructured TiO2scaffolds and their potential for urologic applications.
Despite great efforts in tissue engineering of the ureter, urinary bladder, and urethra, further research is needed in order to improve the patient's quality of life and minimize the economic burden of different lower urinary tract disorders. The nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) scaffolds have a wide range of clinical applications and are already widely used in orthopedic or dental medicine. The current study was conducted to synthesize TiO2nanotubes by the anodization method and TiO2nanowires and nanospheres by the chemical vapor deposition method. These scaffolds were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. In order to test the urologic applicability of generated TiO2scaffolds, we seeded the normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells on TiO2nanotubes, TiO2nanowires, TiO2nanospheres, and on the standard porous membrane. The viability and growth of the cells were monitored everyday, and after 3 weeks of culturing, the analysis with scanning electron microscope (SEM) was performed. Our results showed that the NPU cells were attached on all scaffolds; they were viable and formed a multilayered epithelium, i.e., urothelium. The apical plasma membrane of the majority of superficial NPU cells, grown on all three different TiO2scaffolds and on the porous membrane, exhibited microvilli; thus, indicating that they were at a similar differentiation stage. The maximal caliper diameter measurements of superficial NPU cells revealed significant alterations, with the largest cells being observed on nanowires and the smallest ones on the porous membrane. Our findings indicate that different nanostructured TiO2scaffolds, especially nanowires, have a great potential for tissue engineering and should be further investigated for various urologic applications.
Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, Ljubljana, Slovenia.|Laboratory of Clinical Biophysics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena 5, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Roghayeh
R
Imani
Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Uppsala University, Box 523, SE 75120, Uppsala, Sweden.
Meysam
M
Pazoki
Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Daša
D
Zupančič
Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Mateja Erdani
ME
Kreft
Laboratory of Clinical Biophysics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena 5, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Veronika
V
Kralj-Iglič
Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Peter
P
Veranič
Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, Ljubljana, Slovenia. ales.iglic@fe.uni-lj.si.
Aleš
A
Iglič
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053770:Nanowires / Q000648:ultrastructure; D034421:Sus scrofa; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014572:Urology / Q000379:methods*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000166:cytology
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium
Anodization; Chemical vapor deposition; Nanostructured TiO2 scaffolds; Normal porcine urothelial cells; Urologic application