Zhang Zhen, Lv Yuanliang, Harati Javad, Song Jianan, Du Ping, Ou Peiyan, Liang Jiaqi, Wang Huaiyu, Wang Peng-Yuan
Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
J Funct Biomater. 2023 Apr 23;14(5):238. doi: 10.3390/jfb14050238.
Topographical cues on material surfaces are crucial for guiding the behavior of nerve cells and facilitating the repair of peripheral nerve defects. Previously, micron-grooved surfaces have shown great potential in controlling nerve cell alignment for studying the behavior and functions of those cells and peripheral nerve regeneration. However, the effects of smaller-sized topographical cues, such as those in the submicron- and nano-scales, on Schwann cell behavior remain poorly understood. In this study, four different submicron-grooved polystyrene films (800/400, 800/100, 400/400, and 400/100) were fabricated to study the behavior, gene expression, and membrane potential of Schwann cells. The results showed that all submicron-grooved films could guide the cell alignment and cytoskeleton in a groove depth-dependent manner. Cell proliferation and cell cycle assays revealed that there was no significant difference between the submicron groove samples and the flat control. However, the submicron grooves can direct the migration of cells and upregulate the expression of critical genes in axon regeneration and myelination (e.g., MBP and Smad6). Finally, the membrane potential of the Schwann cells was significantly altered on the grooved sample. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the role of submicron-grooved patterns in regulating the behavior and function of Schwann cells, which provides unique insights for the development of implants for peripheral nerve regeneration.
材料表面的拓扑线索对于引导神经细胞的行为和促进周围神经缺损的修复至关重要。此前，微米级沟槽表面在控制神经细胞排列以研究这些细胞的行为和功能以及周围神经再生方面已显示出巨大潜力。然而，较小尺寸的拓扑线索，如亚微米和纳米尺度的线索，对雪旺细胞行为的影响仍知之甚少。在本研究中，制备了四种不同的亚微米级沟槽聚苯乙烯薄膜（800/400、800/100、400/400和400/100），以研究雪旺细胞的行为、基因表达和膜电位。结果表明，所有亚微米级沟槽薄膜都能以沟槽深度依赖的方式引导细胞排列和细胞骨架。细胞增殖和细胞周期分析表明亚微米沟槽样品与平整对照之间没有显著差异。然而，亚微米沟槽可引导细胞迁移并上调轴突再生和髓鞘形成中的关键基因（如MBP和Smad6）的表达。最后，在有沟槽的样品上雪旺细胞的膜电位发生了显著改变。总之，本研究揭示了亚微米级沟槽图案在调节雪旺细胞行为和功能中的作用，为周围神经再生植入物的开发提供了独特的见解。
