Graeme Clark Collection

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Author: Kapsa, Robert × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2008 ×

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    Wet-Spun Biodegradable Fibers on Conducting Platforms: Novel Architectures for Muscle Regeneration
    Razal, JM ; Kita, M ; Quigley, AF ; Kennedy, E ; Moulton, SE ; Kapsa, RMI ; Clark, GM ; Wallace, GG (WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2009-11-09)
    Abstract Novel biosynthetic platforms supporting ex vivo growth of partially differentiated muscle cells in an aligned linear orientation that is consistent with the structural requirements of muscle tissue are described. These platforms consist of biodegradable polymer fibers spatially aligned on a conducting polymer substrate. Long multinucleated myotubes are formed from differentiation of adherent myoblasts, which align longitudinally to the fiber axis to form linear cell‐seeded biosynthetic fiber constructs. The biodegradable polymer fibers bearing undifferentiated myoblasts can be detached from the substrate following culture. The ability to remove the muscle cell‐seeded polymer fibers when required provides the means to use the biodegradable fibers as linear muscle‐seeded scaffold components suitable for in vivo implantation into muscle. These fibers are shown to promote differentiation of muscle cells in a highly organized linear unbranched format in vitro and thereby potentially facilitate more stable integration into recipient tissue, providing structural support and mechanical protection for the donor cells. In addition, the conducting substrate on which the fibers are placed provides the potential to develop electrical stimulation paradigms for optimizing the ex vivo growth and synchronization of muscle cells on the biodegradable fibers prior to implantation into diseased or damaged muscle tissue.
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    A Conducting-Polymer Platform with Biodegradable Fibers for Stimulation and Guidance of Axonal Growth
    Quigley, AF ; Razal, JM ; Thompson, BC ; Moulton, SE ; Kita, M ; Kennedy, EL ; Clark, GM ; Wallace, GG ; Kapsa, RMI (WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2009-11-20)
    A biosynthetic platform composed of a conducting polypyrrole sheet embedded with unidirectional biodegradable polymer fibers is described (see image; scale bar = 50 µm). Such hybrid systems can promote rapid directional nerve growth for neuro-regenerative scaffolds and act as interfaces between the electronic circuitry of medical bionic devices and the nervous system.
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    Skeletal muscle cell proliferation and differentiation on polypyrrole substrates doped with extracellular matrix components
    Gilmore, KJ ; Kita, M ; Han, Y ; Gelmi, A ; Higgins, MJ ; Moulton, SE ; Clark, GM ; Kapsa, R ; Wallace, GG (ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2009-10)
    Conducting polymers have been developed as substrates for in vitro studies with a range of cell types including electrically-excitable cells such as nerve and smooth muscle. The goal of this study was to optimise and characterise a range of polypyrrole materials to act as substrates for electrical stimulation of differentiating skeletal myoblasts. Although all of the polymer materials provided suitable substrates for myoblast adhesion and proliferation, significant differences became apparent under the low-serum conditions used for differentiation of primary myoblasts. The significance of the work lies in the design and control of polymer materials to facilitate different stages of skeletal muscle cell proliferation and/or differentiation, opening up opportunities for engineering of this tissue. This paper therefore constitutes not just a biocompatibility assessment but a comprehensive study of how synthesis conditions affect the final outcome in terms of cell response.