Microstructured polydimethylsiloxane membranes for peripheral nerve regeneration

• We engineered micropatterned PDMS membranes to guide Schwann cell migration.
• Migration occurs along PDMS microgratings for single cells and upon wound healing.
• We identified topographies that might be exploited for nerve regeneration.

We engineered anisotropic microstructured membranes for nerve repair applications by exploiting electron beam lithography on silicon substrates and soft lithography techniques. Our substrates were patterned with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gratings (alternating lines of grooves and ridges) of varying ridge/groove width and depth. These gratings were used as scaffolds to study rat Schwann cell contact interaction for cell migration. We observed that cell motion was affected by the presence of the grating and by its periodicity, while cells on flat substrates showed random spatial migration. Our results allow the identification of specific topographical elements that may be exploited for the production of new devices for enhancing nerve regeneration by promoting Schwann cell invasion, proliferation, and terminal differentiation.

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