INVESTIGATING THE COMPATIBILITY OF A PROTOTYPE SCAFFOLD IN A NOVEL NEAR-CELLSHEET APPROACH

Abstract

Conventional approach to TE commonly involves the use of synthetic scaffoldings that often lack the nano-scale features typically found in the native environment. Such dissimilarity has been speculated to be one of the instrumental factors contributing to the poor maintenance of the cells under in vitro conditions. An alternative solution is to culture them on fibrillar surfaces generated rapidly from emerging technologies such as electrospinning. Our group has come up with a new PCL-based nano-material design (FSS) that can ensure the structural stability of the otherwise fragile substrate irregardless of the pore dimensions. A highly permeable material with ease of handling can therefore be fabricated and its potential use as a sandwiching or stacking membrane was examined. Morphological and functionality studies on overlaid primary hepatocytes revealed a 3D-like cytoskeletal structure and improved urea secretion. A more extensive bone differentiation profile was also observed in hMSC when individual pre-seeded low density FSS were stacked together prior to their exposure to osteogenic medium. Preliminary results also identified physical communications to play a significant role in priming the cells to be more receptive to external signaling cues. Such benefits in biological responses were however not extended to hepatic layers probably due to an inadequate cell density used during the test. We propose here an alternative material that can be stacked up to better mimic the stratified architecture of the innate surrounding.