Berlin 2008 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Posters I

BP 7.15: Poster

Montag, 25. Februar 2008, 17:00–19:30, Poster A

Close Packed µm-Wells as Culture System for hMSCs — •Julia Schölermann, Ralf Kemkemer, and Joachim P. Spatz — Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Dept. of New Materials & Biosystems & University of Heidelberg, Dept. of Biophysical Chemistry, Heisenbergstr. 3, D - 70569 Stuttgart

Current culture and differentiation systems for human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) lack control of the microenvironmental niche of single cells since local cell densities and therefore distribution of cell secreted or bound signalling molecules and the individual cell’s mechanical environment differ within a population. A common method in inducing chondrogenesis is hMSC pellet culture. Distribution of matrix proteins within these pellets has been shown to be rather heterogeneous (Murdoch, 2007) highlighting different cell fates gathered in one population. Therefore, a culture system for hMSCs was designed that allows for controlled cell densities in spatially separated containers exhibiting a homogeneous geometric environment. Microsphere lithography was applied covalently attaching glass beads sized between 8 and 170 µm to Si wafers using silane chemistry. These structures were used as blueprints for casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) yielding close packed arrays of hemispheres. Microstructured PDMS samples were used as hMSC culture substrates and differentiation was monitored using real time PCR. Necessity of PDMS functionalisation was assessed on non-structured samples showing that plasma treatment was sufficient in promoting hMSC survival whereas fibronectin seemed to unspecifically elevate osteogenesis related transcription factors.