Hybrid nanobiointerfaces were designed as an original contribution to the challenge of synthesizing nanostructured biomaterials integrating a set of cell fate-determining cues, originally provided to cells by the extracellular matrix (ECM). The produced biointerfaces consist of a stiff framework of intersected polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes supporting a soft multilayer composed of ECM-derived biomacromolecules: collagen (Col) and hyaluronic acid (HA). PPy frameworks with highly tunable characteristics were synthesized through chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole monomers, templated within tracketched polycarbonate (PC) membranes featuring a network of intersected nanopores. PPy interfaces with a porosity of 80%, composed of nanotubes with an average diameter ranging from 40 to 300 nm, intersecting at an angle of 90 , were shown to be self-supported. These rigid PPy nanostructured interfaces were functionalized with a self-assembling (HA/Col) multilayer deposited via a layer-by-layer process. Biofunctionalized and unmodified PPy frameworks were both shown to promote sustained cell adhesion, therefore demonstrating the cytocompatibility of the engineered matrices. Such nanobiointerfaces, combining a mechanically-stable framework of tunable dimensions with a soft biopolymeric multilayer of highly versatile nature, pave the way towards cell-instructive biomaterials able to gather a wide range of cues guiding cell behavior. The developed self-supported structures could be used as a coating or as membranes bridging different tissues.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.