The effect of salt fusion processing variables on structural, physicochemical and biological properties of poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds

"This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials on SEP 21 2020, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00914037.2019.1636247"[EN] Poly(glycerol sebacate), PGS, is a biodegradable elastomer recently proposed in the form of scaffolds for cardiac, vascular, cartilage or neural applications. In the present work, several processing variables for the fabrication of PGS scaffolds by the salt fusion method were systematically studied, namely the pre-polymer/porogen ratio, the salt particles average size, use of tetrahydrofuran to dissolve the pre-polymer for its injection in the porogen template, and the curing pressure. The effect of these variables on their structural, mechanical and biological properties was assessed to select those leading to optimal ones in terms of their potential performance in tissue engineering applications.The authors acknowledge Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad through DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R project. The authors acknowledge the assistance and advice of the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Vilariño, G.; Muñoz-Santa, A.; Conejero-Garcia, Á.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2020). The effect of salt fusion processing variables on structural, physicochemical and biological properties of poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds. International Journal of Polymeric Materials. 69(14):938-945. https://doi.org/10.1080/00914037.2019.1636247S9389456914Fung, Y.-C. (1993). Bioviscoelastic Solids. Biomechanics, 242-320. doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-2257-4_7Chiang, B., Kim, Y. C., Doty, A. C., Grossniklaus, H. E., Schwendeman, S. P., & Prausnitz, M. R. (2016). Sustained reduction of intraocular pressure by supraciliary delivery of brimonidine-loaded poly(lactic acid) microspheres for the treatment of glaucoma. Journal of Controlled Release, 228, 48-57. doi:10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.02.041Appuhamillage, G. A., Reagan, J. C., Khorsandi, S., Davidson, J. R., Voit, W., & Smaldone, R. A. (2017). 3D printed remendable polylactic acid blends with uniform mechanical strength enabled by a dynamic Diels–Alder reaction. Polymer Chemistry, 8(13), 2087-2092. doi:10.1039/c7py00310bZhu, W., Masood, F., O’Brien, J., & Zhang, L. G. (2015). Highly aligned nanocomposite scaffolds by electrospinning and electrospraying for neural tissue regeneration. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 11(3), 693-704. doi:10.1016/j.nano.2014.12.001Gao, S., Guo, W., Chen, M., Yuan, Z., Wang, M., Zhang, Y., … Guo, Q. (2017). Fabrication and characterization of electrospun nanofibers composed of decellularized meniscus extracellular matrix and polycaprolactone for meniscus tissue engineering. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 5(12), 2273-2285. doi:10.1039/c6tb03299kHu, X., Hu, T., Guan, G., Yu, S., Wu, Y., & Wang, L. (2017). Control of weft yarn or density improves biocompatibility of PET small diameter artificial blood vessels. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 106(3), 954-964. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.33909Recco, M. S., Floriano, A. C., Tada, D. B., Lemes, A. P., Lang, R., & Cristovan, F. H. (2016). Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate)/poly(3-thiophene ethyl acetate) blends as a electroactive biomaterial substrate for tissue engineering application. RSC Advances, 6(30), 25330-25338. doi:10.1039/c5ra26747aRibeiro Lopes, J., Azevedo dos Reis, R., & Almeida, L. E. (2016). Production and characterization of films containing poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blended with esterified alginate (ALG-e) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 134(1). doi:10.1002/app.44362Wang, Y., Ameer, G. A., Sheppard, B. J., & Langer, R. (2002). A tough biodegradable elastomer. Nature Biotechnology, 20(6), 602-606. doi:10.1038/nbt0602-602Nagata, M., Kiyotsukuri, T., Ibuki, H., Tsutsumi, N., & Sakai, W. (1996). Synthesis and enzymatic degradation of regular network aliphatic polyesters. Reactive and Functional Polymers, 30(1-3), 165-171. doi:10.1016/1381-5148(95)00107-7Radisic, M., Park, H., Chen, F., Salazar-Lazzaro, J. E., Wang, Y., Dennis, R., … Vunjak-Novakovic, G. (2006). Biomimetic Approach to Cardiac Tissue Engineering: Oxygen Carriers and Channeled Scaffolds. Tissue Engineering, 12(8), 2077-2091. doi:10.1089/ten.2006.12.2077Chen, Q.-Z., Bismarck, A., Hansen, U., Junaid, S., Tran, M. Q., Harding, S. E., … Boccaccini, A. R. (2008). Characterisation of a soft elastomer poly(glycerol sebacate) designed to match the mechanical properties of myocardial tissue. Biomaterials, 29(1), 47-57. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.09.010Ravichandran, R., Venugopal, J. R., Sundarrajan, S., Mukherjee, S., & Ramakrishna, S. (2011). Poly(Glycerol Sebacate)/Gelatin Core/Shell Fibrous Structure for Regeneration of Myocardial Infarction. Tissue Engineering Part A, 17(9-10), 1363-1373. doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2010.0441Masoumi, N., Annabi, N., Assmann, A., Larson, B. L., Hjortnaes, J., Alemdar, N., … Khademhosseini, A. (2014). Tri-layered elastomeric scaffolds for engineering heart valve leaflets. Biomaterials, 35(27), 7774-7785. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.04.039Masoumi, N., Jean, A., Zugates, J. T., Johnson, K. L., & Engelmayr, G. C. (2012). Laser microfabricated poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds for heart valve tissue engineering. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 101A(1), 104-114. doi:10.1002/jbm.a.34305Motlagh, D., Yang, J., Lui, K. Y., Webb, A. R., & Ameer, G. A. (2006). Hemocompatibility evaluation of poly(glycerol-sebacate) in vitro for vascular tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 27(24), 4315-4324. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2006.04.010Frydrych, M., Román, S., MacNeil, S., & Chen, B. (2015). Biomimetic poly(glycerol sebacate)/poly(l-lactic acid) blend scaffolds for adipose tissue engineering. Acta Biomaterialia, 18, 40-49. doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2015.03.004SUNDBACK, C., SHYU, J., WANG, Y., FAQUIN, W., LANGER, R., VACANTI, J., & HADLOCK, T. (2005). Biocompatibility analysis of poly(glycerol sebacate) as a nerve guide material. Biomaterials, 26(27), 5454-5464. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.02.004Deng, Y., Bi, X., Zhou, H., You, Z., Wang, Y., … Fan, X. (2014). Repair of critical-sized bone defects with anti-miR-31-expressing bone marrow stromal stem cells and poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds. European Cells and Materials, 27, 13-25. doi:10.22203/ecm.v027a02Zhao, X., Wu, Y., Du, Y., Chen, X., Lei, B., Xue, Y., & Ma, P. X. (2015). A highly bioactive and biodegradable poly(glycerol sebacate)–silica glass hybrid elastomer with tailored mechanical properties for bone tissue regeneration. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 3(16), 3222-3233. doi:10.1039/c4tb01693aZaky, S. H., Lee, K. W., Gao, J., Jensen, A., Verdelis, K., Wang, Y., … Sfeir, C. (2017). Poly (glycerol sebacate) elastomer supports bone regeneration by its mechanical properties being closer to osteoid tissue rather than to mature bone. Acta Biomaterialia, 54, 95-106. doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2017.01.053Jeong, C. G., & Hollister, S. J. (2010). A comparison of the influence of material on in vitro cartilage tissue engineering with PCL, PGS, and POC 3D scaffold architecture seeded with chondrocytes. Biomaterials, 31(15), 4304-4312. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.01.145Kemppainen, J. M., & Hollister, S. J. (2010). Tailoring the mechanical properties of 3D-designed poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds for cartilage applications. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 94A(1), 9-18. doi:10.1002/jbm.a.32653Sant, S., Hwang, C. M., Lee, S.-H., & Khademhosseini, A. (2011). Hybrid PGS-PCL microfibrous scaffolds with improved mechanical and biological properties. Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 5(4), 283-291. doi:10.1002/term.313Gao, J., Crapo, P. M., & Wang, Y. (2006). Macroporous Elastomeric Scaffolds with Extensive Micropores for Soft Tissue Engineering. Tissue Engineering, 12(4), 917-925. doi:10.1089/ten.2006.12.917Gibson, L. J., & Ashby, M. F. (1997). Cellular Solids. doi:10.1017/cbo9781139878326Maliger, R., Halley, P. J., & Cooper-White, J. J. (2012). Poly(glycerol-sebacate) bioelastomers-kinetics of step-growth reactions using Fourier Transform (FT)-Raman spectroscopy. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 127(5), 3980-3986. doi:10.1002/app.37719Ifkovits, J. L., Padera, R. F., & Burdick, J. A. (2008). Biodegradable and radically polymerized elastomers with enhanced processing capabilities. Biomedical Materials, 3(3), 034104. doi:10.1088/1748-6041/3/3/034104Chen, Q.-Z., Ishii, H., Thouas, G. A., Lyon, A. R., Wright, J. S., Blaker, J. J., … Harding, S. E. (2010). An elastomeric patch derived from poly(glycerol sebacate) for delivery of embryonic stem cells to the heart. Biomaterials, 31(14), 3885-3893. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.01.10

Channeled polymeric scaffolds with polypeptide gel filling for lengthwise guidance of neural cells

CNS damages are often irreversible since neurons of the central nervous system are unable to regenerate after an injury. As a new strategy within the nervous system tissue engineering, multifunctional systems based on two different biomaterials to support axonal guidance in damaged connective tracts have been developed herein. These systems are composed of a channeled scaffold made of ethyl acrylate and hydroxyethyl acrylate copolymer, P(EA-co-HEA), with parallel tubular micropores, combined with an injectable and in situ gelable self-assembling polypeptide (RAD16-I) as pores filler. The polymer scaffold is intended to provide a three-dimensional context for axon growth; subsequently, its morphology and physicochemical parameters have been determined by scanning electron microscopy, density measurements and compression tests. Besides, the hydrogel acts as a cell-friendly nanoenvironment while it creates a gradient of bioactive molecules (nerve growth factor, NGF) along the scaffolds channels; the chemotactic effect of NGF has been evaluated by a quantitative ELISA assay. These multifunctional systems have shown ability to keep circulating NGF, as well as proper short-term in vitro biological response with glial cells and neural progenitors.The authors acknowledge funding through the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MAT2011-28791-C03-02 and -03). Dr. J.M. Garcia Verdugo (Department of Comparative Neurobiology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutive Biology, Universitat de Valencia) is thanked for kindly providing the cells employed in this work.Conejero García, Á.; Vilarino-Feltrer, G.; Martínez Ramos, C.; Monleón Pradas, M.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2015). Channeled polymeric scaffolds with polypeptide gel filling for lengthwise guidance of neural cells. European Polymer Journal. 70:331-341. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2015.07.033S3313417

Biomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

Semiotics / semiolog

Scaffolds based on hyaluronan and carbon nanotubes gels

[EN] Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of hyaluronic acid/carbon nanotubes nanohybrids have been correlated with the proportion of inorganic nanophase and the preparation procedure. The mass fraction of -COOH functionalized carbon nanotubes was varied from 0 to 0.05. Hyaluronic acid was crosslinked with divinyl sulfone to improve its stability in aqueous media and allow its handling as a hydrogel. A series of samples was dried by lyophilization to obtain porous scaffolds whereas another was room-dried allowing the collapse of the hybrid structures. The porosity of the former, together with the tighter packing of hyaluronic acid chains, results in a lower water absorption and lower mechanical properties in the swollen state, because of the easier water diffusion. The presence of even a small amount of carbon nanotubes (mass fraction of 0.05) limits even more the swelling of the matrix, owing probably to hybrid interactions. These nanohybrids do not seem to degrade significantly during 14 days in water or enzymatic medium.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Contract grant sponsor: Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad; contract grant numbers: MAT2011-28791-C03-02 and -03.Arnal Pastor, MP.; Tallà-Ferrer, C.; Herrero-Herrero, M.; Martínez-Gómez Aldaraví, A.; Monleón Pradas, M.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2016). Scaffolds based on hyaluronan and carbon nanotubes gels. Journal of Biomaterials Applications. 31(4):534-543. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885328216644535S53454331

One-dimensional migration of olfactory ensheathing cells on synthetic materials: Experimental and numerical characterization

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are of great interest for regenerative purposes since they are believed to aid axonal growth. With the view set on the strategies to achieve reconnection between neuronal structures, it is of great importance to characterize the behaviour of these cells on long thread-like structures that may efficiently guide cell spread in a targeted way. Here, rat OECs were studied on polycaprolactone (PCL) long monofilaments, on long bars and on discs. PCL turns out to be an excellent substrate for OECs. The cells cover long distances along the monofilaments and colonize completely these struc- tures. With the help of a one-dimensional (1D) analytical model, a migration coefficient, a net proliferation rate constant and the fraction of all cells which undergo migration were obtained. The separate effect of the three phenomena summarized by these parameters on the colo- nization patterns of the 1D path was qualitatively dis- cussed. Other features of interest were also determined, such as the speed of the advance front of colonization and the order of the kinetics of net cell proliferation. Charac- terizing migration by means of these quantities may be useful for comparing and predicting features of the colo- nization process (such as times, patterns, advance fronts and proportion of motile cells) of different cell substrate combinations.Support of the Spanish Science & Innovation Ministery through project MAT2008-06434 is acknowledged. MMP and CMR acknowledge partial funding through the "Convenio de Colaboracion para la Investigacion Basica y Traslacional en Medicina Regenerativa" between the Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, the Conselleria de Sanidad of the Generalitat Valenciana and the Foundation Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe.Perez Garnes, M.; Martínez Ramos, C.; Barcia, JA.; Escobar Ivirico, JL.; Gomez Pinedo, UA.; Vallés Lluch, A.; Monleón Pradas, M. (2013). One-dimensional migration of olfactory ensheathing cells on synthetic materials: Experimental and numerical characterization. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics. 65:21-36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-012-9399-1S213665Stokols, S., Sakamoto, J., Breckon, C., Holt, T., Weiss, J., & Tuszynski, M. H. (2006). Templated agarose scaffolds support linear axonal regeneration. Tissue Engineering, 12(10), 2777–2787.Wei, Y. T., Tian, W. M., Yu, X., Cui, F. Z., Hou, S. P., Xu, Q. Y., et al. (2007). Hyaluronic acid hydrogels with IKVAV peptides for tissue repair and axonal regeneration in an injured rat brain. Biomedical Materials, 2(3), 142–146.Yao, L., Wang, S., Cui, W., Sherlock, R., O’Connell, C., Damodaran, G., et al. (2009). Effect of functionalized micropatterned PLGA on guided neurite growth. Acta Biomaterialia, 5(2), 580–588.Chehrehasa, F., Windus, L. C. E., Ekberg, J. A. K., Scott, S. E., Amaya, D., Mackay-Sim, A., et al. (2010). Olfactory glia enhance neonatal axon regeneration. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 45(3), 277–288.Chen, B. K., Knight, A. M., de Ruiter, G. C., Spinner, R. J., Yaszemski, M. J., Currier, B. L., et al. (2009). Axon regeneration through scaffold into distal spinal cord after transection. Journal of Neurotrauma, 26(10), 1759–1771.Goto, E., Mukozawa, M., Mori, H., & Hara, M. (2010). A rolled sheet of collagen gel with cultured Schwann cells: Model of nerve conduit to enhance neurite growth. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 109(5), 512–518.Lietz, M., Dreesmann, L., Hoss, M., Oberhoffner, S., & Schlosshauer, B. (2006). Neuro tissue engineering of glial nerve guides and the impact of different cell types. Biomaterials, 27(8), 1425–1436.Radtke, C., Sasaki, M., Lankford, K. L., Vogt, P. M., & Kocsis, J. D. (2008). Potential of olfactory ensheathing cells for cell-based therapy in spinal cord injury. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 45(1), 141–151.Wei, Y., Miao, X., Xian, M., Zhang, C., Liu, X., Zhao, H., et al. (2008). Effects of transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells on recovery of olfactory epithelium after olfactory nerve transection in rats. Medical Science Monitor, 14(10), 198–204.Tennent, R., & Chuah, M. I. (1996). Ultrastructural study of ensheathing cells in early development of olfactory axons. Brain Research, Developmental Brain Research, 95(1), 135–139.Doucette, R. (1990). Glial influences on axonal growth in the primary olfactory system. Glia, 3(6), 433–449.Field, P., Li, Y., & Raisman, G. (2003). Ensheathment of the olfactory nerves in the adult rat. Journal of Neurocytology, 32(3), 317–324.Boyd, J. G., Doucette, R., & Kawaja, M. D. (2005). Defining the role of olfactory ensheathing cells in facilitating axon remyelination following damage to the spinal cord. Faseb Journal, 19(7), 694–703.Franklin, R. J., Gilson, J. M., Franceschini, I. A., & Barnett, S. C. (1996). Schwann cell-like myelination following transplantation of an olfactory bulb-ensheathing cell line into areas of demyelination in the adult CNS. Glia, 17(3), 217–224.Imaizumi, T., Lankford, K. L., Waxman, S. G., Greer, C. A., & Kocsis, J. D. (1998). Transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells remyelinate and enhance axonal conduction in the demyelinated dorsal columns of the rat spinal cord. Journal of Neuroscience, 18(16), 6176–6185.Raisman, G. (2001). Olfactory ensheathing cells - another miracle cure for spinal cord injury? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2(5), 369–375.Ramón-Cueto, A., Cordero, M. I., Santos-Benito, F. F., & Avila, J. (2000). Functional recovery of paraplegic rats and motor axon regeneration in their spinal cords by olfactory ensheathing glia. Neuron, 25(2), 425–435.Chuah, M. I., Choi-Lundberg, D., Weston, S., Vincent, A. J., Chung, R. S., Vickers, J. C., et al. (2004). Olfactory ensheathing cells promote collateral axonal branching in the injured adult rat spinal cord. Experimental Neurology, 185(1), 15–25.Bellamkonda, R. V. (2006). Peripheral nerve regeneration: An opinion on channels, scaffolds and anisotropy. Biomaterials, 27(19), 3515–3518.Liu, Y., Gong, Z., Liu, L., & Sun, H. (2010). Combined effect of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) intravitreal injection on optic nerve injury in rats. Molecular Vision, 16, 2903–2910.Zhu, Y., Cao, L., Su, Z., Mu, L., Yuan, Y., Gao, L., et al. (2010). Olfactory ensheathing cells: Attractant of neural progenitor migration to olfactory bulb. Glia, 58(6), 716–729.Basiri, M., & Doucette, R. (2010). Sensorimotor cortex aspiration: A model for studying Wallerian degeneration-induced glial reactivity along the entire length of a single CNS axonal pathway. Brain Research Bulletin, 81(1), 43–52.Li, Y., Carlstedt, T., Berthold, C.-H., & Raisman, G. (2004). Interaction of transplanted olfactory-ensheathing cells and host astrocytic processes provides a bridge for axons to regenerate across the dorsal root entry zone. Experimental Neurology, 188(2), 300–308.Li, Y., Yamamoto, M., Raisman, G., Choi, D., & Carlstedt, T. (2007). An experimental model of ventral root repair showing the beneficial effect of transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells. Neurosurgery, 60(4), 734–741.Ramón-Cueto, A., Plant, G. W., Avila, J., & Bunge, M. B. (1998). Long-distance axonal regeneration in the transected adult rat spinal cord is promoted by olfactory ensheathing glia transplants. The Journal of Neuroscience, 18(10), 3803–3815.Gómez-Pinedo, U., Vidueira, S., Sancho, F. J., García-Verdugo, J. M., Matías-Guiu, J., & Barcia, J. A. (2011). Olfactory ensheathing glia enhances reentry of axons into the brain from peripheral nerve grafts bridging the substantia nigra with the striatum. Neuroscience Letters, 494(2), 104–108.Graziadei, P. P., Levine, R. R., & Graziadei, G. A. (1978). Regeneration of olfactory axons and synapse formation in the forebrain after bulbectomy in neonatal mice. Proceedings of the National academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 75(10), 5230–5234.Cao, L., Liu, L., Chen, Z. Y., Wang, L. M., Ye, J. L., Qiu, H. Y., et al. (2004). Olfactory ensheathing cells genetically modified to secrete GDNF to promote spinal cord repair. Brain, 127(3), 535–549.Cao, L., Su, Z., Zhou, Q., Lv, B., Liu, X., Jiao, L., et al. (2006). Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor promotes olfactory ensheathing cells migration. Glia, 54(6), 536–544.Woodhall, E., West, A. K., & Chuah, M. I. (2001). Cultured olfactory ensheathing cells express nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glia cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and their receptors. Brain Research. Molecular Brain Research, 88(1–2), 203–213.Cao, L., Zhu, Y. L., Su, Z., Lv, B., Huang, Z., Mu, L., et al. (2007). Olfactory ensheathing cells promote migration of Schwann cells by secreted nerve growth factor. Glia, 55(9), 897–904.Doucette, R. (1996). Immunohistochemical localization of laminin, fibronectin and collagen type IV in the nerve fiber layer of the olfactory bulb. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 14(7–8), 945–959.Franceschini, I. A., & Barnett, S. C. (1996). Low-affinity NGF-receptor and E-N-CAM expression define two types of olfactory nerve ensheathing cells that share a common lineage. Developmental Biology, 173(1), 327–343.Runyan, S. A., & Phelps, P. E. (2009). Mouse olfactory ensheathing glia enhance axon outgrowth on a myelin substrate in vitro. Experimental Neurology, 216(1), 95–104.Shen, Y., Qian, Y., Zhang, H., Zuo, B., Lu, Z., Fan, Z., et al. (2010). Guidance of olfactory ensheathing cell growth and migration on electrospun silk fibroin scaffolds. Cell Transplantation, 19(2), 147–157.Li, B.-C., Jiao, S.-S., Xu, C., You, H., & Chen, J.-M. (2010). PLGA conduit seeded with olfactory ensheathing cells for bridging sciatic nerve defect of rats. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A, 94(3), 769–780.Clements, I. P., Kim, Y. T., English, A. W., Lu, X., Chung, A., & Bellamkonda, R. V. (2009). Thin-film enhanced nerve guidance channels for peripheral nerve repair. Biomaterials, 30(23–24), 3834–3846.Martín-López, E., Nieto-Díaz, M., & Nieto-Sampedro, M. (2012). Differential adhesiveness and neurite-promoting activity for neural cells of chitosan, gelatin, and poly-l-lysine films. Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 26(7), 791–809.Cai, J., Peng, X., Nelson, K. D., Eberhart, R., & Smith, G. M. (2005). Permeable guidance channels containing microfilament scaffolds enhance axon growth and maturation. Journal of Biomedical Material Research Part A, 75(2), 374–386.Novikova, L. N., Mosahebi, A., Wiberg, M., Terenghi, G., Kellerth, J. O., & Novikov, L. N. (2006). Alginate hydrogel and matrigel as potential cell carriers for neurotransplantation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A, 77(2), 242–252.Tang, Z. P., Liu, N., Li, Z. W., Xie, X. W., Chen, Y., Shi, Y. H., et al. (2010). In vitro evaluation of the compatibility of a novel collagen-heparan sulfate biological scaffold with olfactory ensheathing cells. Chinese Medical Journal (English), 123(10), 1299–1304.Wang, B., Zhao, Y., Lin, H., Chen, B., Zhang, J., Zhang, J., et al. (2006). Phenotypical analysis of adult rat olfactory ensheathing cells on 3-D collagen scaffolds. Neuroscience Letters, 401(1–2), 65–70.Guarnieri, D., De Capua, A., Ventre, M., Borzacchiello, A., Pedone, C., Marasco, D., et al. (2010). Covalently immobilized RGD gradient on PEG hydrogel scaffold influences cell migration parameters. Acta Biomaterialia, 6(7), 2532–2539.Ngo, T. T., Waggoner, P. J., Romero, A. A., Nelson, K. D., Eberhart, R. C., & Smith, G. M. (2003). Poly(l-lactide) microfilaments enhance peripheral nerve regeneration across extended nerve lesions. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 72(2), 227–238.Schnell, E., Klinkhammer, K., Balzer, S., Brook, G., Klee, D., Dalton, P., et al. (2007). Guidance of glial cell migration and axonal growth on electrospun nanofibers of poly-e-caprolactone and a collagen/poly-e-caprolactone blend. Biomaterials, 28(19), 3012–3025.Lim, S. H., Liu, X. Y., Song, H., Yarema, K. J., & Mao, H. Q. (2010). The effect of nanofiber-guided cell alignment on the preferential differentiation of neural stem cells. Biomaterials, 31(34), 9031–9039.Wong, D. Y., Hollister, S. J., Krebsbach, P. H., & Nosrat, C. (2007). Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly (l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) degradable polymer sponges attenuate astrocyte response and lesion growth in acute traumatic brain injury. Tissue Engineering, 13(10), 2515–2523.Wong, D. Y., Krebsbach, P. H., & Hollister, S. J. (2008). Brain cortex regeneration affected by scaffold architectures. Journal of Neurosurgery, 109(4), 715–722.Wong, D. Y., Leveque, J. C., Brumblay, H., Krebsbach, P. H., Hollister, S. J., & Lamarca, F. (2008). Macro-architectures in spinal cord scaffold implants influence regeneration. Journal of Neurotrauma, 25(8), 1027–1037.Pierucci, A., de Duek, E. A., & de Oliveira, A. L. (2008). Peripheral nerve regeneration through biodegradable conduits prepared using solvent evaporation. Tissue Engineering Part A, 14(5), 595–606.Vleggeert-Lankamp, C. L., de Ruiter, G. C., Wolfs, J. F., Pego, A. P., van den Berg, R. J., Feirabend, H. K., et al. (2007). Pores in synthetic nerve conduits are beneficial to regeneration. Journal of Biomedical Material Research Part A, 80(4), 965–982.Cai, A. Q., Landman, K. A., & Hughes, B. D. (2007). Multi-scale modeling of a wound-healing cell migration assay. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 245(3), 576–594.Maini, P. K., McElwain, D. L., & Leavesley, D. I. (2004). Traveling wave model to interpret a wound-healing cell migration assay for human peritoneal mesothelial cells. Tissue Engineering, 10(3–4), 475–482.Dokukina, I. V., & Gracheva, M. E. (2010). A model of fibroblast motility on substrates with different rigidities. Biophysical Journal, 98(12), 2794–2803.Schneider, I. C., & Haugh, J. M. (2004). Spatial analysis of 3′ phosphoinositide signaling in living fibroblasts: II. Parameter estimates for individual cells from experiments. Biophysical Journal, 86(1), 599–608.Marcy, Y., Prost, J., Carlier, M.-F., & Sykes, C. C. (2004). Forces generated during actin-based propulsion: A direct measurement by micromanipulation. Proceedings of the National academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101(16), 5992–5997.Mogilner, A., & Oster, G. (2003). Polymer motors: Pushing out the front and pulling up the back. Current Biology, 13(18), R721–R733.Cheng, G., Youssef, B. B., Markenscoff, P., & Zygourakis, K. (2006). Cell population dynamics modulate the rates of tissue growth processes. Biophysical Journal, 90(3), 713–724.Galbusera, F., Cioffi, M., Raimondi, M. T., & Pietrabissa, R. (2007). Computational modeling of combined cell population dynamics and oxygen transport in engineered tissue subject to interstitial perfusion. Computer Methods Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 10(4), 279–287.Hatzikirou, H., & Deutsch, A. (2008). Cellular automata as microscopic models of cell migration in heterogeneous environments. Current Topics in Developmental Biology, 81, 401–434.Reffay, M., Petitjean, L., Coscoy, S., Grasland-Mongrain, E., Amblard, F., Buguin, A., et al. (2011). Orientation and polarity in collectively migrating cell structures: Statics and dynamics. Biophysical Journal, 100(11), 2566–2575.Chung, C. A., Yang, C. W., & Chen, C. W. (2006). Analysis of cell growth and diffusion in a scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 94(6), 1138–1146.Dunn, J. C., Chan, W. Y., Cristini, V., Kim, J. S., Lowengrub, J., Singh, S., et al. (2006). Analysis of cell growth in three-dimensional scaffolds. Tissue Engineering, 12(4), 705–716.Harms, B. D., Bassi, G. M., Horwitz, A. R., & Lauffenburger, D. A. (2005). Directional persistence of EGF-induced cell migration is associated with stabilization of lamellipodial protrusions. Biophysical Journal, 88(2), 1479–1488.Lemon, G., & King, J. (2007). Travelling-wave behaviour in a multiphase model of a population of cells in an artificial scaffold. Journal of Mathematical Biology, 55(4), 449–480.Fisher, R. (1937). The wave of advance of advantageous genes. Annals of Eugenics, 7, 355–369.Graner, F.o., & Glazier, J. A. (1992). Simulation of biological cell sorting using a two-dimensional extended Potts model. Physical Review Letters, 69(13), 2013–2016.Ouaknin, G. Y., & Bar-Yoseph, P. Z. (2009). Stochastic collective movement of cells and fingering morphology: No maverick cells. Biophysical Journal, 97(7), 1811–1821.Savill, N. J., & Hogeweg, P. (1997). Modelling morphogenesis: From single cells to crawling slugs. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 184(3), 229–235.Brockes, J. P., Fields, K. L., & Raff, M. C. (1979). Studies on cultured rat Schwann cells. I. Establishment of purified populations from cultures of peripheral nerve. Brain Research, 165, 105–118.Selinummi, J., Seppala, J., Yli-Harja, O., & Puhakka, J. A. (2005). Software for quantification of labeled bacteria from digital microscope images by automated image analysis. BioTechniques, 39(6), 859–863.Gupta, D., Venugopal, J., Prabhakaran, M. P., Dev, V. R., Low, S., Choon, A. T., et al. (2009). Aligned and random nanofibrous substrate for the in vitro culture of Schwann cells for neural tissue engineering. Acta Biomaterialia, 5(7), 2560–2569.Nisbet, D. R., Yu, L. M., Zahir, T., Forsythe, J. S., & Shoichet, M. S. (2008). Characterization of neural stem cells on electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) submicron scaffolds: Evaluating their potential in neural tissue engineering. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition, 19(5), 623–634.Huang, Z. H., Wang, Y., Cao, L., Su, Z. D., Zhu, Y. L., Chen, Y. Z., et al. (2008). Migratory properties of cultured olfactory ensheathing cells by single-cell migration assay. Cell Research, 18, 479–490.Ekberg, J. A. K., Amaya, D., Mackay-Sim, A., & St. John, J. A. (2012). The migratory of olfactory ensheathing cells during development and regeneration. Neurosignals. doi: 10.1159/000330895 .Ruitenberg, M. J., Vukovic, J., Sarich, J., Busfield, S. J., & Plant, G..W. (2006). Olfactory ensheathing cells: characteristics, genetic engineering, and therapeutic potential. Journal of Neurotrauma, 23, 468–478.Chaikin, P. M., & Lubensky, T. C. (1995). Principles of condensed matter physics (p. 371). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Simpson, M. J., Landman, K. A., & Hughes, B. D. (2010). Cell invasion with proliferation mechanisms motivated by time-lapse data. Physica A, 389, 3779–3790

Effect of an organotin catalyst on the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of castor oil-based polyurethane/cellulose composites

[EN] Polyurethane/cellulose composites were synthesized from castor-oil-derived polyols and isophorone diisocyanate using dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) as the catalyst. Materials were obtained by adding 2% cellulose in the form of either microcrystals (20 lm) or nanocrystals obtained by acid hydrolysis. The aim was to assess the effects of filler particle size and the use of a catalyst on the physicochemical properties and biological response of these composites. The addition of the catalyst was found to be essential to prevent filler aggregations and to enhance the tensile strength and elongation at break. The cellulose particle size influenced the composite properties, as its nanocrystals heighten hydrogen bond interactions between the filler surface and polyurethane domains, improving resistance to hydrolytic degradation. All hybrids retained cell viability, and the addition of DBTDL did not impair their biocompatibility. The samples were prone to calcification, which suggests that they could find application in the development of bioactive materials.Universidad de La Sabana supported this work under Grant No. ING-176-2016. S.V.V. acknowledges the Universidad de La Sabana for the Teaching Assistant Scholarship for his master's studies. J.A.G.T. and A.V.L. acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through project DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R (including FEDER financial support). The authors acknowledge the assistance and advice of the Electron Microscopy Service of the UPV. CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program. CIBER Actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.Villegas-Villalobos, S.; Diaz, L.; Vilariño, G.; Vallés Lluch, A.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Valero, M. (2018). Effect of an organotin catalyst on the physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of castor oil-based polyurethane/cellulose composites. Journal of Materials Research. 33(17):2598-2611. https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2018.286S259826113317Capadona, J. R., Van Den Berg, O., Capadona, L. A., Schroeter, M., Rowan, S. J., Tyler, D. J., & Weder, C. (2007). A versatile approach for the processing of polymer nanocomposites with self-assembled nanofibre templates. Nature Nanotechnology, 2(12), 765-769. doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.379Kaushik, A., & Garg, A. (2013). Castor Oil Based Polyurethane Nanocomposites with Cellulose Nanocrystallites Fillers. Advanced Materials Research, 856, 309-313. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.856.309Yilgör, I., Yilgör, E., & Wilkes, G. L. (2015). Critical parameters in designing segmented polyurethanes and their effect on morphology and properties: A comprehensive review. Polymer, 58, A1-A36. doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2014.12.014Javni, I., Petrovi?, Z. S., Guo, A., & Fuller, R. (2000). Thermal stability of polyurethanes based on vegetable oils. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 77(8), 1723-1734. doi:10.1002/1097-4628(20000822)77:83.0.co;2-kGurunathan, T., Mohanty, S., & Nayak, S. K. (2015). Isocyanate terminated castor oil-based polyurethane prepolymer: Synthesis and characterization. Progress in Organic Coatings, 80, 39-48. doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2014.11.017Girouard, N. M., Xu, S., Schueneman, G. T., Shofner, M. L., & Meredith, J. C. (2016). Site-Selective Modification of Cellulose Nanocrystals with Isophorone Diisocyanate and Formation of Polyurethane-CNC Composites. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 8(2), 1458-1467. doi:10.1021/acsami.5b10723Saralegi, A., Gonzalez, M. L., Valea, A., Eceiza, A., & Corcuera, M. A. (2014). The role of cellulose nanocrystals in the improvement of the shape-memory properties of castor oil-based segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes. Composites Science and Technology, 92, 27-33. doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2013.12.001Senich, G. A., & MacKnight, W. J. (1980). Fourier Transform Infrared Thermal Analysis of a Segmented Polyurethane. Macromolecules, 13(1), 106-110. doi:10.1021/ma60073a021Prisacariu, C. (2011). Structural studies on polyurethane elastomers. Polyurethane Elastomers, 23-60. doi:10.1007/978-3-7091-0514-6_2Oprea, S., Potolinca, V. O., Gradinariu, P., Joga, A., & Oprea, V. (2016). Synthesis, properties, and fungal degradation of castor-oil-based polyurethane composites with different cellulose contents. Cellulose, 23(4), 2515-2526. doi:10.1007/s10570-016-0972-4Cao, X., Dong, H., & Li, C. M. (2007). New Nanocomposite Materials Reinforced with Flax Cellulose Nanocrystals in Waterborne Polyurethane. Biomacromolecules, 8(3), 899-904. doi:10.1021/bm0610368Omonov, T. S., Kharraz, E., & Curtis, J. M. (2017). Camelina (Camelina Sativa) oil polyols as an alternative to Castor oil. Industrial Crops and Products, 107, 378-385. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.05.041Yakovlev, Y. V., Gagolkina, Z. O., Lobko, E. V., Khalakhan, I., & Klepko, V. V. (2017). The effect of catalyst addition on the structure, electrical and mechanical properties of the cross-linked polyurethane/carbon nanotube composites. Composites Science and Technology, 144, 208-214. doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2017.03.034Tang, Z. G., Teoh, S. H., McFarlane, W., Poole-Warren, L. A., & Umezu, M. (2002). In vitro calcification of UHMWPE/PU composite membrane. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 20(1-2), 149-152. doi:10.1016/s0928-4931(02)00025-5Dave, V. J., & Patel, H. S. (2017). Synthesis and characterization of interpenetrating polymer networks from transesterified castor oil based polyurethane and polystyrene. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 21(1), 18-24. doi:10.1016/j.jscs.2013.08.001Lundin, J. G., Daniels, G. C., McGann, C. L., Stanbro, J., Watters, C., Stockelman, M., & Wynne, J. H. (2016). Multi-Functional Polyurethane Hydrogel Foams with Tunable Mechanical Properties for Wound Dressing Applications. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 302(3), 1600375. doi:10.1002/mame.201600375Oprea, S., Joga, A., Zorlescu, B., & Oprea, V. (2014). Effect of the hard segment structure on properties of resorcinol derivatives-based polyurethane elastomers. High Performance Polymers, 26(8), 859-866. doi:10.1177/0954008314533359Kumar, M. N. S., & Siddaramaiah. (2007). Thermo gravimetric analysis and morphological behavior of castor oil based polyurethane-polyester nonwoven fabric composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 106(5), 3521-3528. doi:10.1002/app.26826Datta, J., & Głowińska, E. (2014). Effect of hydroxylated soybean oil and bio-based propanediol on the structure and thermal properties of synthesized bio-polyurethanes. Industrial Crops and Products, 61, 84-91. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.06.050Conejero-García, Á., Gimeno, H. R., Sáez, Y. M., Vilariño-Feltrer, G., Ortuño-Lizarán, I., & Vallés-Lluch, A. (2017). Correlating synthesis parameters with physicochemical properties of poly(glycerol sebacate). European Polymer Journal, 87, 406-419. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.01.001Fang, W., Arola, S., Malho, J.-M., Kontturi, E., Linder, M. B., & Laaksonen, P. (2016). Noncovalent Dispersion and Functionalization of Cellulose Nanocrystals with Proteins and Polysaccharides. Biomacromolecules, 17(4), 1458-1465. doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00067Rudnik, E., Resiak, I., & Wojciechowski, C. (1998). Thermoanalytical investigations of polyurethanes for medical purposes. Thermochimica Acta, 320(1-2), 285-289. doi:10.1016/s0040-6031(98)00485-7Lundin, J. G., McGann, C. L., Daniels, G. C., Streifel, B. C., & Wynne, J. H. (2017). Hemostatic kaolin-polyurethane foam composites for multifunctional wound dressing applications. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 79, 702-709. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2017.05.084Meskinfam, M., Bertoldi, S., Albanese, N., Cerri, A., Tanzi, M. C., Imani, R., … Farè, S. (2018). Polyurethane foam/nano hydroxyapatite composite as a suitable scaffold for bone tissue regeneration. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 82, 130-140. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2017.08.064Narine, S. S., Kong, X., Bouzidi, L., & Sporns, P. (2006). Physical Properties of Polyurethanes Produced from Polyols from Seed Oils: I. Elastomers. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 84(1), 55-63. doi:10.1007/s11746-006-1006-4Alagi, P., Choi, Y. J., Seog, J., & Hong, S. C. (2016). Efficient and quantitative chemical transformation of vegetable oils to polyols through a thiol-ene reaction for thermoplastic polyurethanes. Industrial Crops and Products, 87, 78-88. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.04.027Benhamou, K., Kaddami, H., Magnin, A., Dufresne, A., & Ahmad, A. (2015). Bio-based polyurethane reinforced with cellulose nanofibers: A comprehensive investigation on the effect of interface. Carbohydrate Polymers, 122, 202-211. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.12.081Mondal, S., & Martin, D. (2012). Hydrolytic degradation of segmented polyurethane copolymers for biomedical applications. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 97(8), 1553-1561. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.04.008Nguyen Dang, L., Le Hoang, S., Malin, M., Weisser, J., Walter, T., Schnabelrauch, M., & Seppälä, J. (2016). Synthesis and characterization of castor oil-segmented thermoplastic polyurethane with controlled mechanical properties. European Polymer Journal, 81, 129-137. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2016.05.024Bondeson, D., Mathew, A., & Oksman, K. (2006). Optimization of the isolation of nanocrystals from microcrystalline cellulose by acid hydrolysis. Cellulose, 13(2), 171-180. doi:10.1007/s10570-006-9061-4Wik, V. M., Aranguren, M. I., & Mosiewicki, M. A. (2011). Castor oil-based polyurethanes containing cellulose nanocrystals. Polymer Engineering & Science, 51(7), 1389-1396. doi:10.1002/pen.21939Gao, Z., Peng, J., Zhong, T., Sun, J., Wang, X., & Yue, C. (2012). Biocompatible elastomer of waterborne polyurethane based on castor oil and polyethylene glycol with cellulose nanocrystals. Carbohydrate Polymers, 87(3), 2068-2075. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.10.027Cherian, B. M., Leão, A. L., de Souza, S. F., Costa, L. M. M., de Olyveira, G. M., Kottaisamy, M., … Thomas, S. (2011). Cellulose nanocomposites with nanofibres isolated from pineapple leaf fibers for medical applications. Carbohydrate Polymers, 86(4), 1790-1798. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.07.009Rocco, K. A., Maxfield, M. W., Best, C. A., Dean, E. W., & Breuer, C. K. (2014). In Vivo Applications of Electrospun Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts: A Review. Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews, 20(6), 628-640. doi:10.1089/ten.teb.2014.0123Hocker, S. J. A., Hudson-Smith, N. V., Smith, P. T., Komatsu, C. H., Dickinson, L. R., Schniepp, H. C., & Kranbuehl, D. E. (2017). Graphene oxide reduces the hydrolytic degradation in polyamide-11. Polymer, 126, 248-258. doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2017.08.034Ryszkowska, J., Bil, M., Woźniak, P., Lewandowska, M., & Kurzydlowski, K. J. (2006). Influence of Catalyst Type on Biocompatibility of Polyurethanes. Materials Science Forum, 514-516, 887-891. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.514-516.887Golomb, G., & Wagner, D. (1991). Development of a new in vitro model for studying implantable polyurethane calcification. Biomaterials, 12(4), 397-405. doi:10.1016/0142-9612(91)90008-xSantamaria-Echart, A., Ugarte, L., García-Astrain, C., Arbelaiz, A., Corcuera, M. A., & Eceiza, A. (2016). Cellulose nanocrystals reinforced environmentally-friendly waterborne polyurethane nanocomposites. Carbohydrate Polymers, 151, 1203-1209. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.06.069Gorna, K., & Gogolewski, S. (2003). Preparation, degradation, and calcification of biodegradable polyurethane foams for bone graft substitutes. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 67A(3), 813-827. doi:10.1002/jbm.a.10148Boloori Zadeh, P., Corbett, S. C., & Nayeb-Hashemi, H. (2014). In-vitro calcification study of polyurethane heart valves. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 35, 335-340. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2013.11.015Patel, D. K., Biswas, A., & Maiti, P. (2016). Nanoparticle-induced phenomena in polyurethanes. Advances in Polyurethane Biomaterials, 171-194. doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-100614-6.00006-8Lin, S., Huang, J., Chang, P. R., Wei, S., Xu, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2013). Structure and mechanical properties of new biomass-based nanocomposite: Castor oil-based polyurethane reinforced with acetylated cellulose nanocrystal. Carbohydrate Polymers, 95(1), 91-99. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.02.023Marzec, M., Kucińska-Lipka, J., Kalaszczyńska, I., & Janik, H. (2017). Development of polyurethanes for bone repair. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 80, 736-747. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2017.07.047Marcovich, N. E., Auad, M. L., Bellesi, N. E., Nutt, S. R., & Aranguren, M. I. (2006). Cellulose micro/nanocrystals reinforced polyurethane. Journal of Materials Research, 21(4), 870-881. doi:10.1557/jmr.2006.0105Chawla, J. S., & Amiji, M. M. (2002). Biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles for tumor-targeted delivery of tamoxifen. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 249(1-2), 127-138. doi:10.1016/s0378-5173(02)00483-0Nabid, M. R., & Omrani, I. (2016). Facile preparation of pH-responsive polyurethane nanocarrier for oral delivery. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 69, 532-537. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2016.07.01

Interaction between acrylic substrates and RAD16-I peptide in its self-assembling

[EN] Self-assembling peptides (SAP) are widely used as scaffolds themselves, and recently as fillers of microporous scaffolds, where the former provides a cell-friendly nanoenvironment and the latter improves its mechanical properties. The characterization of the interaction between these short peptides and the scaffold material is crucial to assess the potential of such a combined system. In this work, the interaction between poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) and 90/10 ethyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymer P(EAcoAAc) with the SAP RAD16-I has been followed using a bidimensional simplified model. By means of the techniques of choice (congo red staining, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements) the interaction and self-assembly of the peptide has proven to be very sensitive to the wettability and electro-negativity of the polymeric substrate.The authors acknowledge funding through the European Commission FP7 project RECATABI (NMP3-SL-2009-229239), and from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion through projects MAT2011-28791-C03-02 and -03. This work was also supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion through M. Arnal-Pastor FPU 2009-1870 grant. The authors acknowledge the assistance and advice of Electron Microscopy Service of the UPV.Arnal Pastor, MP.; González-Mora, D.; García-Torres, F.; Monleón Pradas, M.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2016). Interaction between acrylic substrates and RAD16-I peptide in its self-assembling. Journal of Polymer Research. 23(9):173-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-016-1069-3S173184239Davis ME, Motion JP, Narmoneva DA, Takahashi T, Hakuno D, Kamm RD, Zhang S, Lee RT (2005) Injectable self-assembling peptide nanofibers create intramyocardial microenvironments for endothelial cells. Circulation 111(4):442–450Zhang S, Lockshin C, Cook R, Rich A (1994) Unusually stable beta-sheet formation in an ionic self-complementary oligopeptide. Biopolymers 34:663–672Zhang S, Altman M (1999) Peptide self-assembly in functional polymer science and engineering. Reac Func Polym 41:91–102Zhang S, Gelain F, Zhao X (2005) Designer self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds for 3D tissue cell cultures. Semin Cancer Biol 15(5):413–420Zhang S, Zhao X, Spirio L, PuraMatrix (2005) Self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds. In: Ma PX, Elisseeff J (eds) Scaffolding in tissue Engineering. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 217–238Sieminski AL, Semino CE, Gong H, Kamm RD (2008) Primary sequence of ionic self-assembling peptide gels affects endothelial cell adhesion and capillary morphogenesis. J Biomed Mater Res A 87(2):494–504Quintana L, Fernández Muiños T, Genove E, Del Mar Olmos M, Borrós S, Semino CE (2009) Early tissue patterning recreated by mouse embryonic fibroblasts in a three-dimensional environment. Tissue Eng Part A 15(1):45–54Garreta E, Genové E, Borrós S, Semino CE (2006) Osteogenic differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts in a three-dimensional self-assembling peptide scaffold. Tissue Eng 12(8):2215–2227Semino CE, Merok JR, Crane GG, Panagiotakos G, Zhang S (2003) Functional differentiation of hepatocyte-like spheroid structures from putative liver progenitor cells in three-dimensional peptide scaffolds. Differentiation 71:262–270Thonhoff JR, Lou DI, Jordan PM, Zhao X, Compatibility WP (2008) Of human fetal neural stem cells with hydrogel biomaterials in vitro. Brain Res 1187:42–51Tokunaga M, Liu ML, Nagai T, Iwanaga K, Matsuura K, Takahashi T, Kanda M, Kondo N, Wang P, Naito AT, Komuro I (2010) Implantation of cardiac progenitor cells using self-assembling peptide improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction. J Mol Cell Cardiol 49(6):972–983Takei J (2006) 3-Dimensional cell culture scaffold for everyone: drug screening. Tissue engineering and cancer biology. AATEX 11(3):170–176McGrath AM, Novikova LN, Novikov LN, Wiberg MBD (2010) ™ PuraMatrix™ peptide hydrogel seeded with Schwann cells for peripheral nerve regeneration. Brain Res Bull 83(5):207–213Wang W, Itoh S, Matsuda A, Aizawa T, Demura M, Ichinose S, Shinomiya K, Tanaka J (2008) Enhanced nerve regeneration through a bilayered chitosan tube: The effect ofintroduction of glycine spacer into the CYIGSR sequence. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 85:919–928Sargeant TD, Guler MO, Oppenheimer SM, Mata A, Satcher RL, Dunand DC, Stupp SI (2008) Hybrid bone implants: self-assembly of peptide amphiphile nanofibers within porous titanium. Biomaterials 29(2):161–171Vallés-Lluch A, Arnal-Pastor M, Martínez-Ramos C, Vilariño-Feltrer G, Vikingsson L, Castells-Sala C, Semino CE, Monleón Pradas M (2013) Combining self-assembling peptide gels with three-dimensional elastomer scaffolds. Acta Biomater 9(12):9451–9460Valles-Lluch A, Arnal-Pastor M, Martinez-Ramos C, Vilarino-Feltrer G, Vikingsson L, Monleon Pradas M (2013) Grid polymeric scaffolds with polypeptide gel filling as patches for infarcted tissue regeneration. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2013:6961–6964Soler-Botija C, Bagó JR, Llucià-Valldeperas A, Vallés-Lluch A, Castells-Sala C, Martínez-Ramos C, Fernández-Muiños T, Chachques JC, Monleón Pradas M, Semino CE, Bayes-Genis A (2014) Engineered 3D bioimplants using elastomeric scaffold, self-assembling peptide hydrogel, and adipose tissue-derived progenitor cells for cardiac regeneration. Am J Transl Res 6(3):291–301Martínez-Ramos M, Arnal-Pastor M, Vallés-Lluch A, Monleón Pradas M (2015) Peptide gel in a scaffold as a composite matrix for endothelial cells. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 103 A:3293–3302Rico P, Rodríguez Hernández JC, Moratal D, Altankov G, Monleón Pradas M, Salmerón-Sánchez M (2009) Substrate-induced assembly of fibronectin into networks: influence of surface chemistry and effect on osteoblast adhesion. Tissue Eng Part A 15(11):3271–3281Gugutkov D, Altankov G, Rodríguez Hernández JC, Monleón Pradas M, Salmerón Sánchez M (2010) Fibronectin activity on substrates with controlled -OH density. J Biomed Mater Res A 92(1):322–331Rodríguez Hernández JC, Salmerón Sánchez M, Soria JM, Gómez Ribelles JL, Monleón Pradas M (2007) Substrate chemistry-dependent conformations of single laminin molecules on polymer surfaces are revealed by the phase signal of atomic force microscopy. Biophys J 93(1):202–207Cantini M, Rico P, Moratal D, Salmerón-Sánchez M (2012) Controlled wettability, same chemistry: biological activity of plasma-polymerized coatings. Soft Matter 8:5575–5584Anselme K, Ponche A, Bigerelle M (2010) Relative influence of surface topography and surface chemistry on cell response to bone implant materials. Part 2: biological aspects. Proc Inst Mech Eng H J Eng Med 224:1487–1507Hartgerink JD, Beniash E, Stupp SI (2002) Peptide-amphiphile nanofibers: a versatile scaffold for the preparation of self-assembling materials. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99(8):5133–5138Busscher HJ, Vanpelt AWJ, Deboer P, Dejong HP, Arends J (1984) The effect of surface roughening of polymers on measured contact angles of liquids. Colloids Surf 9:319–331Birdi, KS. (1997) Surface tension of polymers. In: Yildrim Erbil H, ed. Handbook of surface and colloid chemistry CRC Press, Boca Raton, p. 292.Collier JH (2003) MessersmithPB.Enzymatic modification of self-assembled peptide structures with tissue transglutaminase. Bioconjug Chem 14(4):748–755Kakiuchi Y, Hirohashi N, Murakami-Murofushi K (2013) The macroscopic structure of RADA16 peptide hydrogel stimulates monocyte/macrophage differentiation in HL60 cells via cholesterol synthesis. BiochemBiophys Res Commun 433(3):298–304Pérez-Garnes M, González-García C, Moratal D, Rico P, Salmerón-Sánchez M (2011) Fibronectin distribution on demixednanoscale topographies. Int J Artif Organs 34(1):54–63Salmerón-Sánchez M, Rico P, Moratal D, Lee TT, Schwarzbauer JE, García AJ (2011) Role of material-driven fibronectin fibrillogenesis in cell differentiation. Biomaterials 32(8):2099–2105Ye Z, Zhang H, Luo H, Wang S, Zhou Q, DU X, et al. (2008) Temperature and pH effects on biophysical and morphological properties of self-assembling peptide RADA16-I. J Pept Sci 14:152–162Keselowsky BG, Collard DM, García AJ (2004) Surface chemistry modulates focal adhesion composition and signaling through changes in integrin binding. Biomaterials 25:5947–5954Scotchford CA, Gilmore CP, Cooper E, Leggett GJ, Downes S (2002) Protein adsorption and human osteoblast-like cell attachment and growth on alkylthiol on gold self-assembled monolayers. J Biomed Mater Res 59:84–99Coelho NM, González-García C, Planell JA, Salmerón-Sánchez M, Altankov G (2010) Different assembly of type IV collagen on hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrata alters endothelial cells interaction. Eur Cell Mater 19:262–272Briz N, Antolinos-Turpin CM, Alió J, Garagorri N, Gómez Ribelles JL, Gómez-Tejedor JA (2013) Fibronectin fixation on poly(ethyl acrylate)-based copolymers. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 101(6):991–997Owens DK, Wendt RC (1969) Estimation of the surface free energy of polymers. J Appl Polym Sci 13(8):1741–1747Soria JM, Martínez Ramos C, Bahamonde O, García Cruz DM, Salmerón Sánchez M, García Esparza MA, Casas C, Guzmán M, Navarro X, Gómez Ribelles JL, García Verdugo JM, Monleón Pradas M, Barcia JA (2007) Influence of the substrate's hydrophilicity on the in vitro Schwann cells viability. J Biomed Mater Res A 83(2):463–470Van Krevelen, DW. (1997) Properties of polymers. Chapter 13 mechanical properties of solid polymers. Elsevier, pp. 367–43

Electrospun adherent-antiadherent bilayered membranes based on cross-linked hyaluronic acid for advanced tissue engineering applications

[EN] A procedure to obtain electrospun mats of hyaluronic acid (HA) stable in aqueous media in one single step has been developed. It consists in combining an HA solution with a divinyl sulfone one as cross-linker in a three-way valve to immediately electroblow their mixture. Membranes obtained with this method, after sterilization and conditioning, are ready to use in cell culture without need of any additional posttreatment. HA nanofibers are deposited onto previously electrospun poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) mats in order to obtain stably joined bilayered membranes with an adherent face and the opposite face non-adherent, despite their different hydrophilicity and mechanical properties. These bilayered HA/PLLA membranes may be of use, for example, in applications seeking to transplant cells on a tissue surface and keep them protected from the environment: the PLLA nanofiber face is cell friendly and promotes cell attachment and spreading and can thus be used as a cell supply vehicle,. while the HA face hinders cell adhesion and thus may prevent post-surgical adherences, a major issue in many surgeries. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The authors acknowledge the financing through project FP7 NMP3-SL-2009-229239 "Regeneration of Cardiac Tissue Assisted by Bioactive Implants" (RECATABI).Arnal Pastor, MP.; Martínez Ramos, C.; Perez Garnes, M.; Monleón Pradas, M.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2013). Electrospun adherent-antiadherent bilayered membranes based on cross-linked hyaluronic acid for advanced tissue engineering applications. Materials Science and Engineering: C. 33(7):4086-4093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2013.05.058S4086409333

PLA/PCL electrospun membranes of tailored fibres diameter as drug delivery systems

[EN] The main electrospinning parameters, i.e., polymer concentration in the injectable solution, solvents used and their proportion, flow rate, voltage and distance to collector were herein systematically modified to analyse their particular influence in fibres diameter of electrospun membranes of poly(lactic acid), polycaprolactone and their mixture. As a result of this analysis, the procedures to obtain membranes of these polymers and blend with under- and above-micron-sized fibres were established, in which the solvents ratio (chloroform/methanol and dichloromethane/dimethylformamide) and voltage were found to play the major role. Moreover, the plausible differential effect of these fibres diameters (0.8 and 1.8 ¿m) in the controlled release of a molecule of interest was explored, using bovine serum albumin (BSA), proving that the most effective configuration for BSA release among those studied was the PLA-PCL combination in membranes of above-micron fibres diameter.The authors acknowledge Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad through DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R project, and the assistance and advice of the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Herrero-Herrero, M.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2018). PLA/PCL electrospun membranes of tailored fibres diameter as drug delivery systems. European Polymer Journal. 99:445-455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.12.045S4454559