Surface characteristics of acrylic modified polysulfone membranes improves renal proximal tubule cell adhesion and spreading

Jeremy Choon Meng Teo, Roderica Rui Ge Ng, Chee Ping Ng, Alex Wei Haw Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Current polyvinylpyrrolidone-modified polysulfone (PVP-PSU) membranes in haemodialysers do not facilitate the attachment and proliferation of renal proximal tubule cells (RPTCs). For bioartificial kidney (BAK) development expensive extracellular matrices are employed to ensure the PVP-PSU membranes can serve as a substrate for RPTCs. In this study we modified PSU using an acrylic monomer (am-PSU) and polymerization using ultraviolet irradiation. We demonstrated that on adjusting the PSU or acrylic content of the membranes the wettability and surface chemistry were altered, and this affected the amount of fibronectin (Fn) that was adsorbed onto the membranes. Using an integrin blocking assay we ascertained that Fn is an important extracellular matrix component that mediates RPTC attachment. The amount of Fn adsorbed also led to different bioresponses of RPTCs, which were evaluated using attachment and proliferation assays and qualitative quantification of vinculin, focal adhesion kinase, zonula occludens and Na+/K+ ATPase. Our optimized membrane, am-PSU1 (21.4% C-O groups, 19.1% PVP-PSU; contact angle 71.5-80.80, PVP-PSU: 52.4-67.50), supports a confluent monolayer of RPTCs and prevents creatinine and inulin diffusion from the apical to the basal side, meeting the requirements for application in BAKs. However, further in vivo evaluation to assess the full functionality of RPTCs on am-PSU1 is required.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2060-2069
Number of pages10
JournalActa Biomaterialia
Volume7
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2011

Keywords

  • ECM adhesion
  • Haemodialysis
  • Renal epithelial tissue engineering
  • Scaffold wettability
  • Tissue engineering scaffold

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biomaterials
  • Biochemistry
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Molecular Biology

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