Honeycomb Films of Biodegradable Polymers for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

AbstractWe report that microporous films (honeycomb films) can lead various types of cells to tissue formation. The honeycomb films were fabricated by applying a moist air to a spread polymer solution containing biodegradable polymers (poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)) and an amphiphilic polymer. Hepatocytes were cultured on a self-supporting honeycomb film of PLLA. The hepatocytes formed a single layer of columnar shape cells with a thickness of 20 μm. The tissue formation of hepatocytes specifically occurred on the honeycomb film of PLLA, not on a flat film of PLLA. Three dimensional tissue structures were formed, when cells were cultured on both sides of the self-supporting honeycomb film. Double layers of hepatocytes were obtained by the method. Striated tissues such as heart and blood vessel could be reconstructed by utilizing a stretched honeycomb film of PCL.