Influence of Biphasic Stimulation on Olfactory Ensheathing Cells for Neuroprosthetic Devices

The recent success of olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) assisted regeneration of injured spinal cord has seen a rising interest in the use of these cells in tissue-engineered systems. Previously shown to support neural cell growth through glial scar tissue, OECs have the potential to assist neural network formation in living electrode systems to produce superior neuroprosthetic electrode surfaces. The following study sought to understand the influence of biphasic electrical stimulation (ES), inherent to bionic devices, on cell survival and function, with respect to conventional metallic and developmental conductive hydrogel (CH) coated electrodes. The CH utilized in this study was a biosynthetic hydrogel consisting of methacrylated poly(vinyl-alcohol) (PVA), heparin and gelatin through which poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was electropolymerised. OECs cultured on Pt and CH surfaces were subjected to biphasic ES. Image-based cytometry yielded little significant difference between the viability and cell cycle of OECs cultured on the stimulated and passive samples. The significantly lower voltages measured across the CH electrodes (147 ± 3 mV) compared to the Pt (317 ± 5 mV), had shown to influence a higher percentage of viable cells on CH (91-93%) compared to Pt (78-81%). To determine the functionality of these cells following electrical stimulation, OECs co-cultured with PC12 cells were found to support neural cell differentiation (an indirect measure of neurotrophic factor production) following ES

Application of Polyethylene Glycol to Promote Cellular Biocompatibility of Polyhydroxybutyrate Films

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biomaterial with potential for applications in biomedical and tissue engineering; however, its brittle nature and high crystallinity limit its potential. Blending PHB with a variety of PEGs produced natural-synthetic composite films composed of FDA-approved polymers with significant reductions in crystallinity, from 70.1% for PHB films to 41.5% for its composite with a 30% (w/w) loading of PEG2000. Blending also enabled manipulation of the material properties, increasing film flexibility with an extension to break of 2.49±1.01% for PHB films and 8.32±1.06% for films containing 30% (w/w) PEG106. Significant changes in the film surface properties, as measured by porosity, contact angles, and water uptake, were also determined as a consequence of the blending process, and these supported greater adhesion and proliferation of neural-associated olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). A growth rate of 7.2×105 cells per day for PHB films with 30% (w/w) PEG2000 loading compared to 2.5×105 for PHB films was observed. Furthermore, while cytotoxicity of the films as measured by lactate dehydrogenase release was unaffected, biocompatibility, as measured by mitochondrial activity, was found to increase. It is anticipated that fine control of PEG composition in PHB-based composite biomaterials can be utilised to support their applications in medicinal and tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2011 Rodman T. H. Chan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Manipulation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Properties through Blending with Ethyl-Cellulose for a Composite Biomaterial

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is widely used as a biomaterial in medical and tissue-engineering applications, a relatively high crystallinity limits its application. Blending PHB with ethyl-cellulose (EtC) was readily achieved to reduce PHB crystallinity and promote its degradation under physiological conditions without undue influence on biocompatibility. Material strength of composite films remained unchanged at 6.5 ± 0.6 MPa with 40% (w/w) EtC loadings. Phase separation between the two biopolymers was determined with PHB crystallinity decreasing from 63% to 47% for films with the same loading. This reduction in crystallinity supported an increase in the degradation rates of composite films from 0.39 to 0.81% wk−1 for PHB and its composite, respectively. No significant change in morphology and proliferation of olfactory ensheathing cells were observed with the composites despite significant increases in average surface roughness (Ra) of the films from 2.90 to 3.65 μm for PHB and blends with 80% (w/w) EtC, respectively. Copyright © 2011 Rodman T. H. Chan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer films: A small-angle neutron scattering study.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates have attracted attention as biodegradable alternatives to conventional thermoplastics and as biomaterials. Through modification of their biosynthesis using Pseudomonas oleovorans, we have manipulated the material properties of these biopolyesters and produced a natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer of polyhydroxyoctanoate-block-diethylene glycol (PHO-b-DEG). A mixture of PHO and PHO-DEG were solvent cast from analytical grade chloroform and analysed using small-angle neutron scattering. A scattering pattern, easily distinguished above the background, was displayed by the films with a diffraction ring at q similar to 0.12 angstrom(-1). This narrow ring of intensity is suggestive of a highly ordered system. Analysis of the diffraction pattern supported this concept and showed a d-spacing of approximately 50 angstrom. In addition, conformation of the hybrid polymer chains can be manipulated to support their self-assembly into ordered microporous films. Polyhydroxyalkanoates have attracted attention as biodegradable alternatives to conventional thermoplastics and as biomaterials. Through modification of their biosynthesis using Pseudomonas oleovorans, we have manipulated the material properties of these biopolyesters and produced a natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer of polyhydroxyoctanoate-block-diethylene glycol (PHO-b-DEG). A mixture of PHO and PHO-DEG were solvent cast from analytical grade chloroform and analysed using small-angle neutron scattering. A scattering pattern, easily distinguished above the background, was displayed by the films with a diffraction ring at q similar to 0.12 angstrom(-1). This narrow ring of intensity is suggestive of a highly ordered system. Analysis of the diffraction pattern supported this concept and showed a d-spacing of approximately 50 angstrom. In addition, conformation of the hybrid polymer chains can be manipulated to support their self-assembly into ordered microporous films. Polyhydroxyalkanoates have attracted attention as biodegradable alternatives to conventional thermoplastics and as biomaterials. Through modification of their biosynthesis using Pseudomonas oleovorans, we have manipulated the material properties of these biopolyesters and produced a natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer of polyhydroxyoctanoate-block-diethylene glycol (PHO-b-DEG). A mixture of PHO and PHO-DEG were solvent cast from analytical grade chloroform and analysed using small-angle neutron scattering. A scattering pattern, easily distinguished above the background, was displayed by the films with a diffraction ring at q similar to 0.12 angstrom(-1). This narrow ring of intensity is suggestive of a highly ordered system. Analysis of the diffraction pattern supported this concept and showed a d-spacing of approximately 50 angstrom. In addition, conformation of the hybrid polymer chains can be manipulated to support their self-assembly into ordered microporous films. © 2006, Elsevier Ltd

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of narrow-polydispersity glycopolymers: Poly(6-O-vinyladipoly-D-glucopyranose)

The glycomonomer 6-O-vinyladipoyl-D-glucopyranose was prepared via lipase catalyzed transesterification of divinyladipate with alpha-D-glucopyranose in dry acetonitrile and acetone. The desired 6-O regioisomer was obtained in good yield, and its structure was confirmed by correlation NMR spectroscopy. Controlled radical polymerization of the unprotected monomer was performed in protic media using both xanthate and dithiocarbamate as chain transfer agents to give poly(6-O-vinyladipoyl-D-glucopyranose) with M-n of 17 and 19 kDa (SEC) respectively and a polydispersity as low as 1.10. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a narrow-polydispersity, poly(vinyl ester)-like glycopolymer

In vivo deuteration of a native bacterial biopolymer for structural elucidation using SANS.

In order to facilitate future structural studies, biodeuteration of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) was investigated. We report here the in vivo deuteration of poly 3-hydroxyoctanoate (PHO) produced by its native host, the bacterium Pseudomonas oleovorans. Bacterial biomass was produced in bioreactor studies by growth on hydrogenated substrates and PHO was subsequently produced intracellularly (10–20% w/w) during batch fed growth on deuterated octanoic acid under oxygen limitation. GC-MS analyses of the PHO demonstrated that 13 of the 15 hydrogen atoms had been replaced with deuterium (except in position 3), the remaining two hydrogen presumably being derived from water. A SANS contrast variation study was conducted on whole cells and the results indicate the potential to discriminate inclusion bodies formed from deuterated precursor from an otherwise hydrogenated background. © 2004, Elsevier Ltd