Directing hMSCs fate through geometrical cues and mimetics peptides

The native microenvironment of mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs)—the extracellular matrix (ECM), is a complex and heterogenous environment structured at different scales. The present study aims at mimicking the hierarchical microorganization of proteins or growth factors within the ECM using the photolithography technique. Polyethylene terephthalate substrates were used as a model material to geometrically defined regions of RGD + BMP‐2 or RDG + OGP mimetic peptides. These ECM‐derived ligands are under research for regulation of mesenchymal stem cells osteogenic differentiation in a synergic manner. The hMSCs osteogenic differentiation was significantly affected by the spatial distribution of dually grafted peptides on surfaces, and hMSCs cells reacted differently according to the shape and size of peptide micropatterns. Our study demonstrates the presence of a strong interplay between peptide geometric cues and stem cell differentiation toward the osteoblastic lineage. These tethered surfaces provide valuable tools to investigate stem cell fate mechanisms regulated by multiple ECM cues, thereby contributing to the design of new biomaterials and improving hMSCs differentiation cues

Water drop-surface interactions as the basis for the design of anti-fogging surfaces : theory, practice, and applications trends

Glass- and polymer-based materials have become essential in the fabrication of a multitude of elements, including eyeglasses, automobile windshields, bathroom mirrors, greenhouses, and food packages, which unfortunately mist up under typical operating conditions. Far from being an innocuous phenomenon, the formation of minute water drops on the surface is detrimental to their optical properties (e.g., light-transmitting capability) and, in many cases, results in esthetical, hygienic, and safety concerns. In this context, it is therefore not surprising that research in the field of fog-resistant surfaces is gaining in popularity, particularly in recent years, in view of the growing number of studies focusing on this topic. This review addresses the most relevant advances released thus far on anti-fogging surfaces, with a particular focus on coating deposition, surface micro/nanostructuring, and surface functionalization. A brief explanation of how surfaces fog up and the main issues of interest linked to fogging phenomenon, including common problems, anti-fogging strategies, and wetting states are first presented. Anti-fogging mechanisms are then discussed in terms of the morphology of water drops, continuing with a description of the main fabrication techniques toward anti-fogging property. This review concludes with the current and the future perspectives on the utility of anti-fogging surfaces for several applications and some remaining challenges in this field

Electrode cleanliness impact on the surface treatment of fluoropolymer films for a long-lasting plasma process

A dielectric barrier discharge in a continuous process configuration is used to coat the surface of polymer films. The effect of the growth of a coating layer on top of the uncovered electrode with regards to the physicochemical properties of the film treatment is studied. Plasma electrical parameters such as power density (W.cm−2) and voltage (kV) are monitored during a typical cycle, which is comprised between two electrode cleanings. In addition, the surface energy and chemistry are determined at chosen time-points of the process by contact angle measurements with two liquids and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Based on these analyses, no major modification of the coated polymer physicochemical properties was attributed to the deposition of an organic layer on top of the bare electrodes after the equivalent of 1 h of continuous treatment

Partial least squares regression as a tool to predict fluoropolymer surface modification by dielectric barrier discharge in a corona process configuration in a nitrogen-organic gaseous precursor environment

A dielectric barrier discharge in a corona process configuration is used to treat the surface of fluoropolymers in a nitrogen−organic precursor environment. The surface chemistry, thickness, and water contact angle of the deposited coatings are measured and used to build up an output matrix to be correlated with an input matrix built using electrical parameters of the discharge, the gas mixture chemical composition, and spectroscopic parameters measured in both the infrared and ultraviolet−visible emission spectral regions. A partial least-squares regression (PLSR) model enables determining the most important plasma parameters to drive the coating physicochemical characteristics. From the PLSR model, it is determined that the plasma electrical parameters drive the surface modification process, at the expense of other plasma characteristics such as gas flow, gaseous precursor concentration, nitrogen vibrational temperature, and the level of gaseous precursor conversion within the plasma

Fibrous composite material for textile heart valve design : in vitro assessment

With over 150,000 implantations performed over the world, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a surgical technique, which largely competes with open surgery valve replacement for an increasing number of patients. The success of the procedure favors the research toward synthetic valve leaflet materials as an alternative to biological tissues, whose durability remains unknown. In particular, fibrous constructions have recently proven to be durable in vivo over a 6-month period of time in animal sheep models. Exaggerated fibrotic tissue formation remains, however, a critical issue to be addressed. This work investigates the design of a composite fibrous construction combining a woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer and a non-woven PET mat, which are expected to provide, respectively, strength and appropriate topography toward limited fibrotic tissue ingrowth. For this purpose, a specific equipment has been developed to produce non-woven PET mats made from fibers with small diameter. These mats were assembled with woven PET substrates using various assembling techniques in order to obtain hybrid fibrous constructions. The physical and mechanical properties of the obtained materials were assessed and valve samples were manufactured to be tested in vitro for hydrodynamic performances. The results show that the composite fibrous construction is characterized by properties suitable for the valve leaflet function, but the durability of the assembling is however limited under accelerated cyclic loading

Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy of ethyl lactate decomposition and thin-film coating in a filamentary and a glow dielectric barrier discharge

Glow and filamentary regimes of atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in a planar dielectric barrier discharge configuration were compared for thin-film deposition from ethyl lactate (EL). EL decomposition in the plasma phase and thin-film composition were both characterized by Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy. EL chemical bonds' concentration along the gas flow decreases progressively in the glow dielectric barrier discharge (GDBD), whereas it drastically oscillates in the filamentary dielectric barrier discharge (FDBD), with values higher than that of the initial mixture. EL decomposition route depends on the discharge regime, as the decrease of the concentration of the different investigated bonds is different for an identical amount of energy provided to EL molecules. CO2 is systematically formed reaching concentrations of 25 and 40 ppm, respectively, in FDBD and GDBD

Effect of linking arm hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature, length and end-group on the conformation and the RGD accessibility of surface-immobilized fibronectin

In order to stimulate the cellular response to implant materials, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, such as collagen and fibronectin (FN), are immobilized on the implant surface. Amongst all ECM proteins used for biomimetic materials for medical applications, FN is one of the most investigated proteins thanks to its ability to promote cell adhesion and its contribution to important physiological processes. However, its conformation and hence its bioactivity strongly depend on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of the surface as well as on immobilization strategies. This work investigates the effect of these two parameters, as well as the effect of the crosslinker length. FN was grafted onto silicon wafers using eights different linking arms presenting different lengths, hydrophilic/hydrophobic characters and binding sites. The protein was linked through either its amino groups (lysine amino acids) or sulfhydryl functionalities (cysteine amino acids). The grafting of each crosslinker and subsequent FN conjugation onto the surfaces was evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, while the surface hydrophilicity was determined by contact angle measurements. Moreover, atomic force microscopy images revealed that the conformation of surface conjugated FN only depends on the hydrophilicity of the linking arm. The FN conformation was also probed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). ELISA data demonstrated that all of the three investigated parameters linking arm parameter (length, hydrophobic/hydrophilic character, and terminal end-group) somewhat influence the RGD accessibility

Optical emission spectroscopy as a process-monitoring tool in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of amorphous carbon coatings - multivariate statistical modelling

Production of Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) nanocoatings using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is studied by Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) as a plasma diagnostic technique. The objective of the current research is to establish a predictive model of DLC properties using a multivariate analysis method. This model is based on OES data instead of process parameters, which are reactor dependent and accordingly, their effect on the plasma deposition process may vary from one reactor to another. The predictive potential of OES is evaluated using partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. The results show that OES derived data are capable of replacing some process parameters to predict the DLC properties. The perspective of PLSR modelling and OES application for the development and monitoring of a structurally graded DLC coating is also discussed

Using infrared and raman microspectroscopies to compare ex vivo involved psoriatic skin with normal human skin

Psoriasis is a chronic dermatosis that affects around 3% of the world’s population. The etiology of this autoimmune pathology is not completely understood. The barrier function of psoriatic skin is known to be strongly altered, but the structural modifications at the origin of this dysfunction are not clear. To develop strategies to reduce symptoms of psoriasis or adequate substitutes for modeling, a deep understanding of the organization of psoriatic skin at a molecular level is required. Infrared and Raman microspectroscopies have been used to obtain direct molecular-level information on psoriatic and healthy human skin biopsies. From the intensities and positions of specific vibrational bands, the lipid and protein distribution and the lipid order have been mapped in the different layers of the skin. Results showed a similar distribution of lipids and collagen for normal and psoriatic human skin. However, psoriatic skin is characterized by heterogeneity in lipid/protein composition at the micrometer scale, a reduction in the definition of skin layer boundaries and a decrease in lipid chain order in the stratum corneum as compared to normal skin. A global decrease of the structural organization is exhibited in psoriatic skin that is compatible with an alteration of its barrier properties

Evaluation of an air spinning process to produce tailored biosynthetic nanofiber scaffolds

We optimised the working parameters of an innovative air spinning device to produce nanofibrous polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Scanning electron microscopy was performed on the fibre scaffolds which were then used to identify various scaffold morphologies based on the ratio of surface occupied by the polymer fibres on that covered by the entire polymer scaffold assembly. Scaffolds were then produced with the spinning experimental parameters, resulting in 90% of fibres in the overall polymer construct, and were subsequently used to perform a multiple linear regression analysis to highlight the relationship between nanofibre diameter and the air spinning parameters. Polymer solution concentration was deemed as the most significant parameter to control fibre diameter during the spinning process, despite interactions between experimental parameters. Based on these findings, viscosity measurements were performed to clarify the effect of the polymer solution property on scaffold morphology