Fabrication, characterization and degradation of PHB and PHBV microspheres for liver cell growth

Abstract

The fabrication of biodegradable porous polymer microspheres, as temporary scaffold for liver cell growth, in order to create desired engineering liver tissues for the regeneration of diseased liver was discussed. Microbial PHB and PHBV copolymers with HV contents of 5%, 8% and 12% (PHBV) (5%), PHBV(8%) and PHBV(12%) were chosen for fabrication into two-dimensional thin films and three-dimensional microspheres. Hep3B were cultured in-vitro and seeded on both polymer microspheres and thin films to create artificial liver tissues in vitro. The results show that cytochrome P 450 activity and albumin secretion respectively are 1 to 3 times higher on the microspheres than on thin films.