Data in support on the shape of Schwann cells and sympathetic neurons onto microconically structured silicon surfaces

Abstract

This article contains data related to the research article entitled “Laser fabricated discontinuous anisotropic microconical substrates as a new model scaffold to control the directionality of neuronal network outgrowth” in the Biomaterials journal [1]. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis is performed to investigate whether Schwann cells and sympathetic neurons alter their morphology according to the underlying topography, comprising arrays of silicon microcones with anisotropic geometrical characteristics [1]. It is observed that although soma of sympathetic neurons always preserves its round shape, this is not the case for Schwann cells that become highly polarized in high roughness microconical substrates.

Controlling the morphology and outgrowth of nerve and neuroglial cells: The effect of surface topography

“…Furthermore, neurons on the silicon MCs of elliptical cross-section and parallel orientation (medium and high roughness substrates) exhibited a preferential parallel alignment, while neurons on the MCs of arbitrary cross-section and random orientation (low roughness) formed a highly branched network exhibiting no preferred orientation (Figure 5Eg-i). Apparently, the preferential orientation of neuronal processes matched the direction of the major axis of the elliptical MCs, suggesting a dependence of the axonal outgrowth pattern on the underlying topography [58]. This topography-induced guidance effect was also observed in the more complex cell culture system of whole DRG explant, suggesting that even a discontinuous topographical pattern can promote axonal alignment, provided that it hosts anisotropic geometrical features, even though the sizes of those range at the subcellular lengthscale.…”

“…Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [54,82], polystyrene (PS) [83] and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) [84] have been used for grooved patterns. Silicon has been used for the development of grooved substrates [85], pillars [36] and cones [37,58]. Gold has been used mostly for the fabrication of pillars [74].…”

“…Micropatterned surfaces had been fabricated via ultra-short pulsed laser processing on silicon and comprised arrays of microcones (MCs) that were either of elliptical or arbitrary-shaped cross-sections (Figure 5Ea-f) [58]. Although very few sympathetic neurons could micropatterned Si substrates equally supported extended neuronal outgrowth, depicting the importance of surface roughness over nerve cell outgrowth and network formation.…”

“…Furthermore, complex models of coculture of neurons with neuroglial cells [58,59] and organotypic models of whole ganglion explants [48,58,59,68 71] on different topographical models have been reported. Such culture systems provide a more reliable representation of the in vivo environment than do single cell culture ones and have been used to assess the spatial interrelations of the different cell population with respect to the underlying topography [58,59]. Finally, some studies use topographical models in order to investigate the e ect of the topographical cues on astrocytesneurons interactions in an attempt to control astrogliosis.…”

Laser fabricated discontinuous anisotropic microconical substrates as a new model scaffold to control the directionality of neuronal network outgrowth

“…According to SEM images, neuronal cells were always of round shape, regardless the type of the culture substrate used, i.e. flat or different microstructured surfaces [36]. This was also the case for the shape of the nuclei.…”