Tuning Cell Fate on Self-assembled Structures

This dissertation presents novel biodegradable copolymers with dendritic architecture, classic polymers, and inorganic materials with controlled surface topography, stiffness, and surface energy for investigating cell-material interactions and targeting tissue engineering applications. Chapter I reviews the recent progress in bone and nerve regeneration, the key factors of materials influencing cell-material interaction, and self-assembled polymer structures. Chapter II presents a divergent method to synthesize biodegrable com-dendritic tri-block copolymers consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(L-lactide) or poly(ε-caprolactone) and the MC3T3-E1 cell response to their spherulites. Chapter III presents the fabrication of deformable poly(ε-caprolactone) honeycomb films prepared via a surfactant-free breath figure method in a water-miscible solvent and how the tunable topography regulates MC3T3-E1 cell functions. Chapter IV investigates the fabrication of photo-cured poly(ε-caprolactone) triacrylate films with tunable pore size via breath figure method and how the pore size regulates MC3T3-E1 cell behavior. Chapter V invented a facile method to fabricate honeycomb films with submicron pores using monodisperse silica nanoparticle as template and studied the MC3T3-E1 cell functions on those honeycomb films. Chapter VI described a novel method to fabricate microgrooves with honeycomb patterns and investigated the MC3T3-E1 cell functions on this special topography. Chapter VII introduces a facile method to obtain controllable surface energy on poly(ε-caprolactone) substrates via controlling the composition of edge-on and flat-on lamellae and how MC3T3-E1 cells behave on those substrates with different surface energy. Chapter VIII synthesizes biomimetic calcium carbonate concentric microgrooves with tunable width via self-assembly and studies the MC3T3-E1 cell response to those microgrooves. Chapter IX describes one method to fabricate controllable topographical features and mechanical properties on poly(ε-caprolactone) substrates using uniaxial and biaxial stretching and how those substrates regulate MC3T3-E1 cell functions. Chapter X studies rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) response to the banded spherulites of poly(ε-caprolactone) and polyhydroxybutyrate. Chapter XI presents the preparation of honeycomb-patterned copolymer films with tunable pore size and how the pore size regulates NPC cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation.