Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 5-31-2004

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Treena Livingston Arinzeh

Second Advisor

Michael Jaffe

Third Advisor

William Corson Hunter

Abstract

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) obtained from the adult bone marrow are multipotential cells that are capable of differentiating along several lineages. They are readily available and abundant source of cells in the field of tissue engineering. For their use in treating certain connective tissue defect or disorders, their success depends at minimum on the use of scaffolds that support differentiation. Therefore , this thesis details a study that systematically evaluated hMSC differentiation on materials that exhibit gradual range in surface properties as a first study for selecting materials as potential scaffolds. Polycarbonates and polyarylates have combinatorial libraries that exhibit a range of surface chemistries leading to changes in the surface properties such as wettability, rigidity and protein adsorption. Structural modifications of their pendant chain and backbone provide a means to modify their physicomechanical, chemical and biological properties. Polymers were coated onto 96-well cell culture plates using the solvent casting technique. The human MSCs isolated from the bone marrow were seeded at a fixed density of 3 x 1 0^4 cells/cm2 in 96-well plates containing coated polymers. The cells were grown for 16 days in the presence or absence of osteogenic supplement. Alkaline phosphatase activity, cell number by DNA quantification and the amount of calcium in the extracellular matrix were measured at day 4,8,12 and 16. In addition, osteocalcin assay was performed at day 16. The results indicated that cell proliferation was highest on more hydrophilic surface; however the osteogenic differentiation was greater on more hydrophobic polymeric substratum.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.