2011 Postgraduate Research Competition - UNSW Science - The ...

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Urinary Bladder Matrix in Conjunction with Laser
Activated Chitosan-Based Bioadhesive for
Sutureless Nerve Repair
Tania Ahmed and John Foster
School of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences
Abstract
Biocompatibility of biomaterial-based scaffolds is pivotal for successful tissue repair and
reconstruction in tissue engineering applications, particularly in spinal cord injuries. In vivo
implantation of a potential biomaterial may trigger irreversible host immune responses
leading to loss of function and impaired healing. Suitable biomaterials that can serve as
nerve conduits for transplanting olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) into damaged spinal
cord to induce nerve repair and regeneration are required. Consequently, this study
incorporated extracellular matrix derived from porcine urinary bladder (UBM), which has
been shown to facilitate the recruitment of marrow-derived stem cells, with SurgiLux, a
chitosan-based laser activated adhesive to potentially fabricate a therapeutic scaffold for
sutureless nerve repair. Furthermore, this study examined the influence of incorporated UBM-
SurgiLux® biomaterials on OECs at the cell-material interface by adopting a cell cycle,
apoptosis and proteomics approach.
Cellular response at the material interface revealed a normal maintenance of regular
morphology and enhanced growth of OECs compared to chitosan films alone. Cell cycle
analysis revealed a significant difference in the DNA content of cell populations cultivated in
the presence and absence of UBM-SurgiLux® films. Additionally, detection of early stage of
apoptosis using Annexin V assay revealed significant deviations from standard culturing
conditions as chitosan induced cell population to undergo early apoptotic activation. These
results provide new insights into the nature of OECs and their response to their
microenvironment which is of paramount significance for the success of UBM-SurgiLux®
biomaterials that promote regeneration of neural tissue.
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