Detachment of human endothelial cell sheets from thermo-responsive poly(NiPAAm-co-DEGMA) carriers

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • M. Nitschke - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • T. Götze - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • S. Gramm - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • C. Werner - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, University of Toronto (Author)

Abstract

The technique of gently harvesting cells and cell sheets using stimuli-responsive cell culture carriers was applied to human umbilical vein cord endothelial cells (HUVEC). To meet the particular requirements of this demanding cell type, a copolymer consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide and diethyleneglycol methacrylate (poly(NiPAAm-co-DEGMA)) was combined with a fine-tuned protein pre-coating. Using this approach the detachment of HUVEC sheets was studied. Furthermore, the behavior of the extracellular matrix upon cell detachment was followed by protein staining. The results demonstrate the feasibility of harvesting HUVEC sheets from stimuli-responsive polymer layers and provide valuable options for the advanced engineering of vascular structures.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)660-666
Number of pages7
JournalExpress polymer letters
Volume1
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2007
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), Polymer gels, Smart polymers, Tissue engineering