Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Substrate porosity induces phenotypic alterations in retinal cells cultured on silicon nanowires

Piret, Gaelle LU ; Perez, Maria Thereza LU and Prinz, Christelle LU (2014) In RSC Advances 4(53). p.27888-27897
Abstract
Arrays of silicon nanowires (Si NW) may be used in the development of implantable drug delivery systems. Here, we performed short-and long-term cultures of mouse retinal cells on substrates consisting of high aspect ratio Si NW, which confers high porosity to the surface. As controls, cells were grown on flat silicon substrates. The cell phenotype was assessed using immunocytochemistry, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We observed that, despite good adhesion and long-term survival on Si NW (for at least 18 days in vitro), cells underwent striking phenotypic changes, characterized by the absence of neurites and an underexpression of most retinal cell markers. These alterations could, however, be prevented by... (More)
Arrays of silicon nanowires (Si NW) may be used in the development of implantable drug delivery systems. Here, we performed short-and long-term cultures of mouse retinal cells on substrates consisting of high aspect ratio Si NW, which confers high porosity to the surface. As controls, cells were grown on flat silicon substrates. The cell phenotype was assessed using immunocytochemistry, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We observed that, despite good adhesion and long-term survival on Si NW (for at least 18 days in vitro), cells underwent striking phenotypic changes, characterized by the absence of neurites and an underexpression of most retinal cell markers. These alterations could, however, be prevented by functionalizing the surface using perfluorosilane molecules. The study also provides evidence that the altered cell behavior on Si NW can be attributed to contaminants entrapped in the nanowire array. Our data thus indicate that creating high aspect ratio pores, while increasing porosity in order to increase the loading capacity of the substrate, results in neurotoxicity. The functionalized substrates, while allowing for cell growth, would not be suitable for drug delivery. The findings are important for the design of porous silicon-based cell scaffolds and drug delivery systems, in particular when aimed at interfacing CNS cells. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
RSC Advances
volume
4
issue
53
pages
27888 - 27897
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • wos:000339012400033
  • scopus:84903848169
ISSN
2046-2069
DOI
10.1039/c4ra04121f
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c96a6e36-620e-488e-b924-4d205ece1507 (old id 4598861)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:13:37
date last changed
2023-11-13 04:31:22
@article{c96a6e36-620e-488e-b924-4d205ece1507,
  abstract     = {{Arrays of silicon nanowires (Si NW) may be used in the development of implantable drug delivery systems. Here, we performed short-and long-term cultures of mouse retinal cells on substrates consisting of high aspect ratio Si NW, which confers high porosity to the surface. As controls, cells were grown on flat silicon substrates. The cell phenotype was assessed using immunocytochemistry, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. We observed that, despite good adhesion and long-term survival on Si NW (for at least 18 days in vitro), cells underwent striking phenotypic changes, characterized by the absence of neurites and an underexpression of most retinal cell markers. These alterations could, however, be prevented by functionalizing the surface using perfluorosilane molecules. The study also provides evidence that the altered cell behavior on Si NW can be attributed to contaminants entrapped in the nanowire array. Our data thus indicate that creating high aspect ratio pores, while increasing porosity in order to increase the loading capacity of the substrate, results in neurotoxicity. The functionalized substrates, while allowing for cell growth, would not be suitable for drug delivery. The findings are important for the design of porous silicon-based cell scaffolds and drug delivery systems, in particular when aimed at interfacing CNS cells.}},
  author       = {{Piret, Gaelle and Perez, Maria Thereza and Prinz, Christelle}},
  issn         = {{2046-2069}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{53}},
  pages        = {{27888--27897}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{RSC Advances}},
  title        = {{Substrate porosity induces phenotypic alterations in retinal cells cultured on silicon nanowires}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/3853949/8146605}},
  doi          = {{10.1039/c4ra04121f}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}