Tunable neuronal scaffold biomaterials through plasmonic photo-patterning of aerogels
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Research Letter
Tunable neuronal scaffold biomaterials through plasmonic photopatterning of aerogels Martina Rodriguez Sala and Chenhui Peng, Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA Omar Skalli, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA Firouzeh Sabri, Department of Physics and Materials Science, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA Address all correspondence to Firouzeh Sabri at [email protected] and Chenhui Peng at [email protected] (Received 3 July 2019; accepted 19 October 2019)
Abstract The authors have shown recently that the neurite extension by neuronal PC12 cells is greatly impacted by aerogel topography. Indeed, the average neurite length of PC-12 cells grown on aerogels is greater than that in cells cultured on control substrates. Here, the authors report on the first experimental study focused on the design and development of a plasmonic photo-patterning technique for collagen-coated mesoporous aerogel biomaterials. Herein, the authors have produced specific patterns on silica aerogels by performing precise plasmonic photopatterning on liquid crystal-coated aerogels. The authors report the methodology employed to create a collagen–liquid crystal gel mixture imprinted with precise plasmonic photo-patterns. PC12 cells plated on these patterns did attach and survive and followed the spatial cues of the pattern to align themselves in a similar pattern.
Introduction Methods and materials used for nerve repair have limitations that stimulate research to design and characterize novel biomaterials. Specifically, these biomaterials should enhance the length of neurite extension by neurons and control the directionality of those extensions. The current solutions used for nerve regeneration are not successful in clinical settings because they do not provide guidance to control the directionality of neurite extension. As a consequence, incomplete axon regeneration ensues leading to aberrant tissue innervation often resulting in a loss of both motor and sensory functions.[1] In these cases, axons regenerating across conduits often disperse[2] which results in inappropriate and inaccurate target reinnervations.[1,2] Other in vitro studies have shown patterning capabilities by using surface cues to induce alignment or directional growth of cells, collectively referred to as “contact guidance”.[3,4] Studies demonstrating versatile technology that can successfully deliver patterning and contact guidance while also providing electrical stimulation are severely lacking mainly due to the nature of the scaffold/ conduit material choice. The limitations imposed by the choice of material can be circumvented by the use of aerogels because aerogels can be used in vivo therefore, in vitro studies can be transferred to in vivo models, can support patterning to create contact guidance, and are tolerant to processing steps required to ultimately create an electrical interface with neurons.[5] Aerogels are a class of mesoporous materia
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