In vitro culture model of anisotropic to isotropic transitions
Cell culture devices, and related methods and kits, for modeling isotropic-to-anisotropic cellular transitions are provided. The devices can include a substrate having an isotropic film surface with one or more regions of aligned fibers dispersed thereon.
1. A cell culture apparatus for modeling isotropic-to-anisotropic cellular transitions, comprising:
a substrate comprising an isotropic film surface with one or more regions of aligned fibers dispersed thereon, wherein the one or more regions of aligned fibers and the isotropic film surface provide a topographic-to-non-topographic transitional boundary therebetween.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fibers are electrospun fibers.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fibers comprise poly-L-lactic acid.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the isotropic film surface comprises poly-L-lactic acid.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the topographic-to-non-topographic transitional boundary is formed by dissolving a portion of the aligned fibers.
6. A method of fabrication of a cell culture apparatus comprising fiber scaffolds for modeling isotropic-to-anisotropic cellular transitions, comprising:
depositing a collection film onto a substrate;
depositing fibers onto the collection film to form fiber scaffolds; and dissolving a portion of the deposited fibers to yield one or more regions of an isotropic film surface that transition from the fiber scaffolds to form an anisotropic-to-isotropic fiber/film boundary.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the deposited fibers are aligned.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the deposited fibers are dissolved with chloroform.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the collection film comprises poly-L-lactic acid.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fibers comprise poly-L-lactic acid.
11. A method of modeling in vivo cellular response to isotropic-to-anisotropic topographic transitions in an in vitro model for tissue injury, comprising:
providing an apparatus of claim 1 ;
seeding one or more cells onto the substrate;
allowing the one or more cells to adhere to the one or more regions of aligned fibers; and
allowing the one or more cells to grow, whereby cell growth within the transitional boundary between the aligned fibers and the isotropic film surface models in vivo isotropic-to-anisotropic topographic transitions of injured tissue.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more cells are derived from neural tissue.
13. A kit for examining cellular response to isotropic-to-anisotropic transitions, comprising:
an apparatus of claim 1 ; and
one or more reagent.