Laser processing of ormosils for tissue engineering applications

摘要

Hybrid methacrylates based on silane derivates (ormosils) have been considered for applications in electronics, microtechnology, corrosion resistant coatings, dentistry, and biomedical implants. The presence of both inorganic chains, responsible for chemical and thermal stability, hardness, and transparency, and organic groups, which bring new advantages such as the possibility of functionalization and easy, low temperature processing, can result in the appearance of unique properties. 2D structures of hybrid polymers were produced by Two Photon Polymerization (2PP). A Ti: Sapphire laser having 200 fs pulse duration and 2 kHz repetition rate, working at a wavelength of 775 nm, was used for the 2PP experiments. The biocompatibility of the obtained structures (scaffolds) was tested in different cell cultures, which is a first step toward exploring their potential for applications in tissue engineering. Cells morphology, adhesion, and alignment were studied on polymeric structures with different shapes, obtained in various experimental conditions. Their interaction with normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEM) and dysplastic oral keratinocytes (DOK) was investigated, with the aim of obtaining an epidermal graft.