Cell–Material Interactions in Direct Contact Culture of Endothelial Cells on Biodegradable Iron-Based Stents Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Impact of Ion Release

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is a promising technology for the fabrication of customized implants with complex geometry. The objective of this study was to investigate the initial cell-material interaction of degradable Fe-30Mn-1C-0.02S stent structures in comparison to conventional 316L as a reference, both processed by laser powder bed fusion. FeMn-based alloys have comparable mechanical properties with clinically applied AISI 316L for a corrosion-resistant stent material. Different corrosion stages of the as-built Fe-30Mn-1C-0.02S stent surfaces were simulated by pre-conditioning in DMEM under cell culture conditions for 2 h, 7 days, and 28 days. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were directly seeded onto the pre-conditioned samples, and cell viability, adherence, and morphology were analyzed. These studies were accompanied by measurements of iron and manganese ion release and Auger electron spectroscopy to evaluate the influence of corrosion products and degradation on the cells. In the initial phase (2 h of pre-conditioning), HUVECs were able to attach but the cell number decreased over the cultivation period of 14 days and the CD31 staining pattern of intercellular contacts was disordered. At later time points of corrosion (7 and 28 days of pre-conditioning), CD31 staining was distinctly located at the intercellular contacts, and the cell density increased after seeding and was stable for up to 14 days. Formation of a complex degradation layer, which had a composition and thickness dependent on the pre-conditioning time, led to a reduced ion release and finally showed a positive effect on cell survival. Concluding, our data suggest the suitability of Fe-30Mn-1C-0.02S for in vivo applications.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)439-451
Number of pages13
JournalACS applied materials & interfaces
Volume14
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 12 Jan 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85122299759
WOS 000736857300001
Mendeley b3a46297-9da5-32d8-b14c-394a347b84bc

Keywords

Keywords

  • FeMn-based alloy, absorbable metals, additive manufacturing, endothelial cells, stent, Absorbable metals, Additive manufacturing, Stent, Endothelial cells