Temperature-responsive poly(ε-caprolactone) cell culture platform with dynamically tunable nano-roughness and elasticity for control of myoblast morphology

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 1511 - 1524
• Main Authors: Uto, Koichiro, Ebara, Mitsuhiro, Aoyagi, Takao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI) 21.01.2014; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemical synthesis; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; Cell Growth Processes; Cells, Cultured; dynamic cell culture; Elasticity; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - physiology; Hot Temperature; Mice; Myoblasts - cytology; Myoblasts - drug effects; Myoblasts - physiology; nano-roughness; Nanostructures - chemistry; NIH 3T3 Cells; Phase Transition; poly(ε-caprolactone); Polyesters - chemical synthesis; Polyesters - chemistry; Polyesters - pharmacology; Rats; Surface Properties; temperature-responsive polymers; Wettability
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms15011511

We developed a dynamic cell culture platform with dynamically tunable nano-roughness and elasticity. Temperature-responsive poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) films were successfully prepared by crosslinking linear and tetra-branched PCL macromonomers. By optimizing the mixing ratios, the crystal-amorphous transition temperature (Tm) of the crosslinked film was adjusted to the biological relevant temperature (~33 °C). While the crosslinked films are relatively stiff (50 MPa) below the Tm, they suddenly become soft (1 MPa) above the Tm. Correspondingly, roughness of the surface was decreased from 63.4-12.4 nm. It is noted that the surface wettability was independent of temperature. To investigate the role of dynamic surface roughness and elasticity on cell adhesion, cells were seeded on PCL films at 32 °C. Interestingly, spread myoblasts on the film became rounded when temperature was suddenly increased to 37 °C, while significant changes in cell morphology were not observed for fibroblasts. These results indicate that cells can sense dynamic changes in the surrounding environment but the sensitivity depends on cell types.