Biocompatibility of polyethersulfone membranes for cell culture systems

摘要

Polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with high chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability can be used for low-cost membrane preparation. In this study, PES membranes and cell culture inserts were prepared and optimized for utilization in cell culture systems. Finding new membranes with high performance is a vital step to promote further tissue culture applications. The performances of non-transparent, transparent PES, and commercial membranes were compared. The structures of the cells and membranes wereobserved by inverted optical microscopy. The cytocompatibility of PES membranes was evaluated by culturing HepG2 cells, a human liver (carcinoma) cell line. Cell viability and adhesion were evaluated. The biological activity of the cells was determinedby measuring the uptake of indocyanine green (ICG) and by periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Although the morphology of the non-transparent and transparent PES membranes was different from that of the commercial membranes, they demonstrated similar performances. The cells showed a round or oval shape and adhered to form 3D aggregates on the membrane. Cellular uptake of ICG was detected, and glycogen storage was identified by PAS staining. The activity of the cells cultured on the PES membranes confirmed the acceptable properties of the prepared membranes. The homemade cell culture inserts showed satisfactory performance compared with the commercial ones.