XXXX neural cell interactions with orientated electrospun nanofibers in vitro.

@entity1 @entity4351 @entity816 @entity521 @entity23821
AIM: Electrospun nanofibers represent potent guidance substrates for nervous tissue repair. Development of nanofiber-based scaffolds for CNS repair requires, as a first step, an understanding of appropriate neural cell type-substrate interactions. MATERIALS _ METHODS: Astrocyte-nanofiber interactions (e.g., adhesion, proliferation, process extension and migration) were studied by comparing @entity1 neural progenitor-derived astrocytes ( @entity23821 -ACs) and a @entity1 @entity816 cell line (U373) with aligned @entity4351 ( @entity4351 ) nanofibers or blended (25% type I collagen/75% @entity4351 ) nanofibers. Neuron-nanofiber interactions were assessed using a differentiated @entity1 @entity521 cell line (SH-SY5Y). RESULTS _ DISCUSSION: U373 cells and @entity23821 -AC showed similar process alignment and length when associated with @entity4351 or Type I collagen/ @entity4351 nanofibers. Cell adhesion and migration by @entity23821 -AC were clearly improved by functionalization of nanofiber surfaces with type I collagen. Functionalized nanofibers had no such effect on U373 cells. Another clear difference between the U373 cells and @entity23821 -AC interactions with the nanofiber substrate was proliferation; the cell line demonstrating strong proliferation, whereas the @entity23821 -AC line showed no proliferation on either type of nanofiber. Long axonal growth (up to 600 microm in length) of SH-SY5Y neurons followed the orientation of both types of nanofibers even though adhesion of the processes to the fibers was poor. CONCLUSION: The use of cell lines is of only limited predictive value when studying cell-substrate interactions but both morphology and alignment of @entity1 astrocytes were affected profoundly by nanofibers. Nanofiber surface functionalization with collagen significantly improved @entity23821 -AC adhesion and migration. Alternative forms of functionalization may be required for optimal axon-nanofiber interactions.
