0000000000320160
AUTHOR
Helmut Schubert
Going beyond histology. Synchrotron micro-computed tomography as a methodology for biological tissue characterization: from tissue morphology to individual cells.
Current light microscopic methods such as serial sectioning, confocal microscopy or multiphoton microscopy are severely limited in their ability to analyse rather opaque biological structures in three dimensions, while electron optical methods offer either a good three-dimensional topographic visualization (scanning electron microscopy) or high-resolution imaging of very thin samples (transmission electron microscopy). However, sample preparation commonly results in a significant alteration and the destruction of the three-dimensional integrity of the specimen. Depending on the selected photon energy, the interaction between X-rays and biological matter provides semi-transparency of the spe…
Immobilization and controlled release of prostaglandin E2 from poly-L-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres.
Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) is an arachidonic acid metabolite involved in physiological homeostasis and numerous pathophysiological conditions. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that prostaglandins have a stimulating effect not only on angiogenesis in situ and in vitro but also on chondrocyte proliferation in vitro. Thus, PGE(2) represents an interesting signaling molecule for various tissue engineering strategies. However, under physiological conditions, PGE(2) has a half-life time of only 10 min, which limits its use in biomedical applications. In the present study, we investigated if the incorporation of PGE(2) into biodegradable poly-L-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres results in a …
Tomographic and Topographic Investigation of Poly-D,L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide Microspheres Loaded with Prostaglandine E<sub>2</sub> for Extended Drug Release Applications
Polymeric, biodegradable microspheres represent a good reliable system to investigate the release of bioactive substances in both in vitro and in vivo applications. Common biomaterials for the synthesis of these microspheres are aliphatic polyesters of the poly(α-hydroxy)acids, especially poly-L-lactides (PLA) and polyglycolides (PGA) or their copolymers poly-D,L-lactide-co-glycolides (PLGA). In our own previous studies we have developed PLGA microspheres with integrated PGE2 as model substance for a wide range of biomedical applications, especially in angiogenesis, fracture healing and cartilage repair. The synthesis is based on a binary solvent in water emulsion approach, where two differ…
Characterization of oriented protein-ceramic and protein-polymer-composites for cartilage tissue engineering using synchrotron μ-CT
Abstract In this paper we report on the synthesis of three different gelatine based scaffold materials for the reconstruction of articular cartilage defects. The first scaffold design is based on an unmodified, oriented gelatine network, while the second design further comprises an attached inorganic hydroxyapatite layer and the third design includes poly(l-lactide) microspheres as a model material for future drug-release applications. All three scaffold designs were characterized and imaged using synchrotron μ-CT, obtaining a complete volumetric reconstruction of a previously defined sample region. Furthermore, two unmodified scaffolds were cultivated for one week with porcine chondrocytes…
Emulsion-based synthesis of PLGA-microspheres for the in vitro expansion of porcine chondrocytes.
Abstract The in vitro cell expansion of autologous chondrocytes is of high interest in regenerative medicine since these cells can be used to treat joint cartilage defects. In order to preserve chondrocyte phenotype, while optimizing adhesion on microspheres, several processing parameters for the microsphere synthesis were varied. In this study three different polylactide-co-glycolides were used with differing lactide–glycolide ratios (85:15 and 50:50) and differing inherent viscosities. An emulsion route was established, where the polymer was dissolved in chloroform and then injected into a stirred polyvinyl alcohol–water solution at different polymer concentrations and different stirring …