Effect of degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) films on functional properties for tissue engineering bioreactors

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Effect of degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) films on functional properties for tissue engineering bioreactors Nazely Diban1, Sandra Sanchez-González1, Inmaculada Ortiz1 and Ana M. Urtiaga1 1 University of Cantabria, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Spain The regeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the major challenges that regenerative medicine faces nowadays. In order to promote in vitro neural cell regeneration, the use of artificial substrates may provide support for the neural cell growth and axon regeneration [1]. The scaffolds used in the tissue engineering bioreactors must provide sufficient mechanical stability and high transport of nutrients towards the cells and good removal of the metabolites during the whole lifetime of the in vitro cultures. The scaffold porous structure and hydrophilic character are important properties determining the mechanical and mass transport performance and the functionality of the scaffolds for this application. Scaffolds of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers have been proven as promising substrates to promote cell adhesion and proliferation [2]. The scaffolds must provide an adequate functionality in the bioreactor during suficient time so the regeneration of the tissue occurs simultaneously with the lost of functional properties of the scaffold due to degradation. In our previous work [2], flat Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) films with adequate morphology to allow neuronal tissue growth were fabricated using a phase inversion casting technique and isopropanol (IPA) as coagulant (Figure 1). PCL is a polyester that degrades through a characteristic hydrolitical mechanism. In this work, we explore the effect of degradation on the structural (aspect, porosity, morphology), mechanical and transport properties (water and model ovine serum albumim solution transport) of the PCL films under the typical bioreactor conditions (37 ºC in a Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS) at pH 7.4). The adequacy of the change of the functional properties to match the neural celular proliferation rate will be studied. Figure 1. SEM images of the cross section and surface of the PCL films and confocal images of U87 human glioblastoma static cell culture after 48 hours on the PCL films. All cell nuclei are shown in blue, and the actin cytoskeletal architecture is show in green. Financial support of the Cantabria Explora call through project JP03.640.69 is gratefully acknowledged