Yang F, Murugan R, Ramakrishna S, Wang X, Ma Y-X, Wang S
Biomaterials Laboratory, Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, 117-576, Singapore, Singapore.
Biomaterials. 2004 May;25(10):1891-900. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2003.08.062.
Nerve tissue engineering (NTE) is one of the most promising methods to restore central nerve systems in human health care. Three-dimensional distribution and growth of cells within the porous scaffold are of clinical significance for NTE. In this study, an attempt was made to develop porous polymeric nano-fibrous scaffold using a biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) for in vitro culture of nerve stem cells (NSCs). The processing of PLLA scaffold has been carried out by liquid-liquid phase separation method. The physico-chemical properties of the scaffold were fully characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. These results confirmed that the prepared scaffold is highly porous and fibrous with diameters down to nanometer scale. As our nano-structured PLLA scaffold mimics natural extracellular matrix, we have intended this biodegradable scaffold as cell carrier in NTE. The in vitro performance of NSCs seeded on nano-fibrous scaffold is addressed in this study. The cell cultural tests showed that the NSCs could differentiate on the nano-structured scaffold and the scaffold acted as a positive cue to support neurite outgrowth. These results suggested that the nano-structured porous PLLA scaffold is a potential cell carrier in NTE.
神经组织工程（NTE）是人类医疗保健中恢复中枢神经系统最具前景的方法之一。多孔支架内细胞的三维分布和生长对神经组织工程具有临床意义。在本研究中，尝试使用可生物降解的聚（L-乳酸）（PLLA）开发多孔聚合物纳米纤维支架，用于神经干细胞（NSCs）的体外培养。PLLA支架的制备采用液-液相分离法。通过差示扫描量热法和扫描电子显微镜对支架的物理化学性质进行了全面表征。这些结果证实，制备的支架具有高度多孔性且纤维直径低至纳米级。由于我们的纳米结构PLLA支架模仿天然细胞外基质，我们打算将这种可生物降解支架用作神经组织工程中的细胞载体。本研究探讨了接种在纳米纤维支架上的神经干细胞的体外性能。细胞培养测试表明，神经干细胞可以在纳米结构支架上分化，并且该支架作为一种积极信号支持神经突生长。这些结果表明，纳米结构多孔PLLA支架是神经组织工程中一种潜在的细胞载体。
