PLLA scaffolds with controlled architecture as potential microenvironment for in vitro tumor model.

PLLA scaffolds with controlled architecture as potential microenvironment for in vitro tumor model. Tissue Cell. 2019 Jun;58:33-41 Authors: Lombardo ME, Carfì Pavia F, Vitrano I, Ghersi G, Brucato V, Rosei F, La Carrubba V Abstract The "microenvironment" where a tumor develops plays a fundamental role in determining its progression, the onset of metastasis and, eventually, its resistance to therapies. Tumor cells can be considered more or less invasive depending both on the nature of the cells and on the site where they are located. Commonly adopted laboratory culture protocols for the investigation of tumor cells take usually place on standard two-dimensional supports. However, such cultures do not allow for reproduction of the biophysical properties of the tumor's microenvironment, thus causing the cells to lose most of their relevant characteristics. In this work MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells were cultivated within Poly-l-Lactic Acid (PLLA) scaffolds produced via Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS). Starting from a ternary solution (polymer-solvent-nonsolvent) we produced scaffolds with different morphologies, porosities and pore architectures. The influence of porosity and average pore size upon cell adhesion and growth were investigated by using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) as cell viability test, a fluorescence assay staining cell with DAPI and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Our study demonstrates that the average p...
Source: Tissue and Cell - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Tissue Cell Source Type: research