IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Biomaterials Thursday Sessions
       Session BI-ThA

Paper BI-ThA9
Controlled Cell Adhesion on Honeycomb Films of Biodegradable Polymers

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 4:40 pm, Room 102

Session: Cell-Surface Interaction
Presenter: T. Nishikawa, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
Authors: T. Nishikawa, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
K. Nishikawa, Hokkaido University, Japan
R. Ookura, Hokkaido University, Japan
J. Nishida, Hokkaido University, Japan
K. Arai, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
J. Hayashi, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
M. Matsushita, Hokkaido University, Japan
S. Todo, Hokkaido University, Japan
M. Hara, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
M. Shimomura, RIKEN Frontier Research System, Japan
Correspondent: Click to Email
We report that a honeycomb like micro-porous film (honeycomb film) can control cell adhesion of hepatocytes and cardiac myocytes. The honeycomb films were fabricated by casting a dilute solution containing biodegradable polymers (poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and poly-@epsilon@-caprolactone (PCL)) and an amphiphilic polymer on water surface in a humid atmosphere. By the method, self-supported honeycomb films were obtained. Hepatocytes were cultured on a self-supported honeycomb film of PLLA. The cells formed a single layer of columnar shape cells with a thickness of 20 µm. The tissue formation of hepatocytes specifically occurred on the honeycomb films of PLLA, but not on flat films of PLLA. The artificial tissue of hepatocyets expressed high level of albumin secretion, which was comparable to that of spheroids of hepatocytes. Furthermore we succeeded in three dimensional culturing of hepatocytes. Hepatocytes formed two single layers on each sides of a self-supported honeycomb film of PLLA. Honeycomb film of PCL was stretched out uniaxially by mechanical force. The honeycomb pores were deformed into elongated hexagons and rectangles. Since the array of the elongated hexagons is anisotropic, the stretched honeycomb film is applicable to guiding cell alignment. We used a stretched honeycomb film of PCL as a cell culture substrate for cardiac myocytes. The substrate was fabricated by placing a stretched honeycomb film of PCL onto a glass plate. Cardiac myocytes of rat embryo were not aligned in a specific direction on regular honeycomb patterned surface. On the other hand, cardiac myocytes were aligned along the long axis of the stretched micro-pores on the stretched honeycomb film. Thus the honeycomb films can control cell alignment as well as cell attachment. Based on the results, we expect that the honeycomb films can be designed, fabricated, and utilized in accordance with target tissues.