eXPRESS Polymer Letters (Apr 2015)

Effect of injection molded micro-structured polystyrene surfaces on proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells

  • G. Lucchetta,
  • M. Sorgato,
  • E. Zanchetta,
  • G. Brusatin,
  • E. Guidi,
  • R. Di Liddo,
  • M. T. Conconi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3144/expresspolymlett.2015.33
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 4
pp. 354 – 361

Abstract

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In this work, osteoinductive micro-pillared polystyrene surfaces were mass-produced for bone replacement applications, by means of the micro injection molding process. Firstly, the molding process parameters were optimized with a two-level, three-factor central composite face-centered plan to increase the quality of polystyrene micro pillars replication and to maximize the pillars height uniformity over the molded part. Secondly, osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells adhesion and proliferation on the replicated substrates were assessed as a function of micro topography parameters, such as pillars diameter, aspect ratio and spacing. Cell morphology and proliferation were evaluated through MTS test after 1, 3 and 7 days from seeding. The experimental results showed that cells adhesion and proliferation is more positively promoted on micro-pillared surfaces compared to flat surfaces, but no correlations were observed between cell proliferation and pillar diameter and spacing.

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