Poly(l-lactic acid) and polyurethane nanofibers fabricated by solution blow spinning as potential substrates for cardiac cell culture

•Solution blow spinning was used for PLLA and PU nanofibers fabrication.•Three cardiac cell lines differing in age and origin were used for experiments.•The protein modifications of investigated surfaces influenced on cell proliferation.•Nanofibers are better substrates for cardiac cell culture than PS surface.•Nanofibers enable cultivating cardiac cells under conditions similar to in vivo.

This paper presents a comparison and evaluation of cardiac cell proliferation on poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) and polyurethane (PU) nanofibrous mats fabricated by solution blow spinning (SBS). Three different cardiac cell lines: rat cardiomyoblasts (H9C2 line), human (HCM) and rat cardiomyocytes (RCM) were used for experiments. Cell morphology, orientation and proliferation were investigated on non-modified and protein-modified (fibronectin, collagen, gelatin, laminin, poly-l-lysine) surfaces of both types of nanofibers. Obtained results of cell culture on nanofibers surfaces were compared to the results of cell culture on polystyrene (PS) surfaces modified in the same way. The results indicated that in most cases polymeric nanofibers (PLLA and PU) are better substrates for cardiac cell culture than PS surfaces. All types of investigated cells, cultured on nanofibers (PLLA and PU), had more elongated shape than cells cultured on PS surfaces. Moreover, cells were arranged in parallel to each other, according to fibers orientation. Additionally, it was shown that the protein modifications of investigated surfaces influenced on cell proliferation. Therefore, we suggest that the cardiac cell culture on nanofibrous mats fabricated by SBS could be more advanced experimental in vitro model for studies on the effect of various cardiac drugs than traditional culture on PS surface.

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