Adhesion and growth of human Schwann cells on trimethylene carbonate (co)polymers

Abstract

Seeding of artificial nerve grafts with Schwann cells is a promising strategy for bridging large nerve defects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the adhesion and growth of human Schwann cells (HSCs) on 1,3-trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and epsilon-caprolactone copolymers, with the final goal of using these materials in the development of an artificial nerve graft. The adhesion, proliferation, and morphology of HSCs on copolymers containing 10 and 82 mol % of TMC and on the parent homopolymers were investigated. HSCs adhered faster and in greater numbers on the copolymer with 82 mol % of TMC and on the TMC homopolymer compared with the other (co)polymers. On all polymer films, cell adhesion was lower than on gelatin (positive control). Despite differences in cell adhesion, cells displayed exponential growth on all tested surfaces, with similar growth rates. Cell numbers doubled approximately every 3 days on all substrates. When the polymer films were coated with fibronectin, no significant differences in cell adhesion and proliferation were observed between coated polymer surfaces and gelatin. The results indicate that all tested materials support the adhesion and proliferation of HSCs and can in principle be used for the preparation of flexible and slowly degrading nerve guides.

The role of the surface on microglia function: implications for central nervous system tissue engineering

“…Solvent-cast films show a spherulitic morphology (figure 1a,b) characteristic of a semicrystalline material [33]. The preparation of P(TMC-CL) fibres by electrospinning was previously optimized [22].…”

Triblock Copolymers Based on 1,3‐Trimethylene Carbonate and Lactide as Biodegradable Thermoplastic Elastomers

“…[11] Several cell types have been successfully cultured on TMC-based copolymers. [10,12] However, one of the difficulties we encountered in the application of these polymers was their limited resistance to creep under long-term static or dynamic loading conditions.…”

Advanced microstructures based on poly(trimethylene carbonate) : microfabrication and stereolithography

“…Implantation experiments in small animals showed only a mild tissue response. [85][86][87][88]93,[101][102]104] Absorbable sutures prepared from copolymers containing TMC as a comonomer were introduced in 1985. However, at that time, PTMC homopolymers were considered to be less suitable as an implant material due to their supposedly inferior mechanical properties.…”