Endothelialization of chitosan porous conduits via immobilization of a recombinant fibronectin fragment (rhFNIII(7-10))

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Amaral, IF (Author) FEUP; Neiva, I (Author) Other; Ferreira da Silva, FF (Author) Other; Sousa, SR (Author) Other; Piloto, AM (Author) Other; Lopes, CDF (Author) Other; Barbosa, MA (Author) ICBAS; Kirkpatrick, CJ (Author) Other; Pego, AP (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Acta Biomaterialia

Vol. 9

Pages: 5643-5652

ISSN: 1742-7061

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citations

Scopus - 15 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental biotechnology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-04E

DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2012.10.029

Abstract (EN): The present study aimed to develop a pre-endothelialized chitosan (CH) porous hollowed scaffold for application in spinal cord regenerative therapies. CH conduits with different degrees of acetylation (DA; 4% and 15%) were prepared, characterized (microstructure, porosity and water uptake) and functionalized with a recombinant fragment of human fibronectin (rhFNIII(7-10)). Immobilized rhFNIII(7-10) was characterized in terms of amount (I-125-radiolabelling), exposure of cell-binding domains (immunofluorescence) and ability to mediate endothelial cell (EC) adhesion and cytoskeletal rearrangement. Functionalized conduits revealed a linear increase in immobilized rhFNIII(7-10) with rhFNIII(7-10) concentration, and, for the same concentration, higher amounts of rhFNIII(7-10) on DA 4% compared with DA 15%. Moreover, rhFNIII(7-10) concentrations as low as 5 and 20 mu g ml(-1) in the coupling reaction were shown to provide DA 4% and 15% scaffolds, respectively, with levels of exposed cell-binding domains exceeding those observed on the control (DA 4% scaffolds incubated in a 20 mu g ml(-1) human fibronectin solution). These grafting conditions proved to be effective in mediating EC adhesion/cytoskeletal organization on CH with DA 4% and 15%, without affecting the endothelial angiogenic potential. rhFNIII(7-10) grafting to CH could be a strategy of particular interest in tissue engineering applications requiring the use of endothelialized porous matrices with tunable degradation rates.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10