Studies of human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) cultured on model surfaces functionalized with carboxylic acid terminated dendrimers
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master Thesis
Master Thesis
Program
Applied physics (MPAPP), MSc
Publicerad
2011
Författare
Sara, Lundgren
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Material properties and nanopatterning is something that has become of more interest and importance in the field of biomaterials. By altering the surface properties on a nano-scale, the outcome of how the body reacts when in contact with new materials can be directed. To control cell differentiation and morphological behavior of cells by changing surface properties has many different applications in areas such as tissue engineering. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is a very important process both in tissue engineering and wound healing. Angiogenesis is highly dependent on the response and migration of endothelial cells towards the environment. Tissue engineered materials that rely on angiogenesis for success also rely on a functional endothelial response. By altering surfaces modifications one can direct this response. Dendrimers are polymers with highly branched structures which have shown great potential in the use as surface funtionalisation due to the fact that their properties easily can be modified by altering surface functional groups which are believed to be pointing outwards.(1) In this study, the behavior of human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) when grown on different generations of carboxylic acid functionalized dendrimers and a linear counterpart molecule, polyacrylic acid, attached to model surfaces was studied. Cells were cultured on both homogenous (20 % and 30 % coverage referring to the dendrimers) and gradient surfaces (30% -0 % coverage) for 24 hours. The cells were fixed and stained with DAPI and phalloidin for the visualization of the nuclei as well as the actin network. Analysis of actin area and cell morphology was made using a high content screening microscope (HCSM) and a confocal laser scanner microscope (CLSM). In conclusion, the results show that the HSVECs responded differently to different dendrimer generation as well as to different dendrimer coverage. Cells cultivated on the linear polyacrylic acid were in general smaller then cells cultivated on dendrimers which support the idea that dendrimers with functional groups all pointing outwards have potential for applications in tissue engineering.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Fysik , Physical Sciences