Abstract
The development of novel polymer-based materials opens up possibilities for several novel applications, such as advanced wound dressings, bioinks for 3D biofabrication, drug delivery systems, etc. The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability of vascular and intestinal epithelial cells on different polymers as a selection procedure for more advanced cell-polymer applications. In addition, possible correlations between increased cell viability and material properties were investigated. Twelve polymers were selected, and thin films were prepared by dissolution and spin coating on silicon wafers. The prepared thin films were structurally characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and goniometry. Their biocompatibility was determined using two epithelial cell lines (human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human intestinal epithelial cells), assessing the metabolic activity, cell density, and morphology. The tested cell lines showed different preferences regarding the culture substrate. No clear correlation was found between viability and individual substrate characteristics, suggesting that complex synergistic effects may play an important role in substrate design. These results show that a systematic approach is required to compare the biocompatibility of simple cell culture substrates as well as more complex applications (e.g., bioinks).
Highlights
Published: 14 July 2021With the advent of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, tissue-specific decellularized extracellular matrices have emerged as excellent sources for advanced cell culture applications
To minimize the number of variables, all experiments in this study were performed on thin films, which provide an elegant platform for evaluating material properties and cell culture experiments
High values were observed on collagen, fibrin, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin substrates in descending order
Summary
With the advent of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, tissue-specific decellularized extracellular matrices (dECMs) have emerged as excellent sources for advanced cell culture applications. This can be attributed to their close recapitulation of the biochemical and mechanical properties of the histological microenvironment, which enhances cell viability, maturation, and migration [1,2,3,4,5]. Finding alternative sources of scaffold materials that are inexpensive, widely available, and adaptable in a composition that adequately mimics the bio-physico-chemical properties of the native ECM would be an important step toward constructing complex tissues and organs. Several material candidates have been successfully used for tissue engineering, and much research has been done on the biocompatibility of materials and their influence on cell growth and development [13,14,15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
