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Laser Micropatterning of Polylactide Microspheres into Neuronal‐Glial Coculture for the Study of Axonal Regeneration
Author(s) -
Bakken Daniel E.,
Narasimhan Sriram V.,
Burg Karen J.L.,
Gao Bruce Z.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200550934
Subject(s) - micropatterning , regeneration (biology) , axon , spinal cord injury , spinal cord , extracellular matrix , materials science , glial scar , microbiology and biotechnology , biomedical engineering , nanotechnology , neuroscience , biology , medicine
250,000 Americans suffer from spinal cord injury caused by vehicular, work, and sports related accidents [1] . After injury to the spinal cord, axons do not have the capability of regenerating across the lesioned site. To understand the mechanisms of axon regeneration and to identify a better method of regeneration, a new technique for mimicking and studying the in vivo cellular environment is needed. To meet this goal, we have developed a laser cell micropatterning system that uses a weakly focused laser beam to pattern both biological cells and nonbiological particles for the study of various cell‐cell‐polymer interactions. Using this system, we have successfully copatterned neurons, glial cells, and polymer microspheres into a viable matrix. These copatterns allow us to study the effects nerve growth factor has, when released from a degradable polymer microsphere, on a single neuron within a specific arrangement of multiple cell types.