title: Micropatterning of nanocomposite polymer scaffolds using sacrificial phosphate glass fibers for tendon tissue engineering applications.
abstract: This study presents a simple and reproducible method of micropatterning the novel nanocomposite polymer (POSS-PCU) using a sacrificial phosphate glass fiber template for tendon tissue engineering applications. The diameters of the patterned scaffolds produced were dependent on the diameter of the glass fibers (15 μm) used. Scaffolds were tested for their physical properties and reproducibility using various microscopy techniques. For the first time, we show that POSS-PCU supports growth of human tenocytes cells. Furthermore, we show that cellular alignment, their biological function and expression of various tendon related proteins such as scleraxis, collagen I and III, tenascin-C are significantly elevated on the micropatterned polymer surfaces compared to flat samples. This study demonstrated a simple, reproducible method of micropatterning POSS-PCU nanocomposite polymer for novel tendon repair applications, which when provided with physical cues could help mimic the microenvironment of tenocytes cells.
authors.affiliation: UCL Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Feras
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alshomer
authors.affiliation: UCL Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Université Paris Sud, Orthopedic Surgery, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, Paris, FR.
authors.forename: Camilo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: UCL Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Advanced Material Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ifty
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: UCL Centre for Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.kalaskar@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Deepak M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kalaskar
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: C000610393:POSS-PCU polymer; D010710:Phosphates; C009753:fiberglass; D003094:Collagen
keywords: Micropattern scaffolds; Nanocomposite polymer; Phosphate glass fibers; Tendon graft