Page 2 - E. Cell adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics

[E. Cell adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics-2]

Three dimensional monolayer culture of epithelial and

endothelial cells on poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous

membrane containing integrin-binding ligands

Min-Ho Choi¹˙⁵, Yong-Su Kim¹˙², Jung-In Shin¹˙², Sang-Won Lee¹˙⁵, Perry Ayn Mayson A Maza¹˙²,

Min-Sook Ryu³, Jong-Young Kwak¹˙⁴˙⁵˙*

¹Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, South Korea, ²Department of
Biomedical Sciences, Graduate school, Ajou University , Suwon 16499, South Korea, ³Department of Allergy, Ajou

University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, South Korea, ⁴Department of 3D Immune System Imaging Core

Center, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, South Korea, ⁵Department of Immune Network Pioneer Researcg Center,
Ajou University, Suwon 16499, South Korea, ⁶Department of Fabrication engineering, Nanofaentech Inc, Kimhae
50969, South Korea

Adherence of epithelial cells to two-dimensional (2D) culture dish may induce aberrant cell functions, including
epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is one of the versatile synthetic polymers abundantly

used in tissue engineering as biomaterials. In this study, we developed a three dimensional (3D) culture system of
epithelial and endothelial cells with PVA nanofibrous membrane which contains integrin-binding peptides (RGD and

YIGSR) to improve cell adhesion, growth, and functions. Primary hepatocytes and lung epithelial cell line, MLE-12
cells were cultured on PVA nanofiber membrane, the cells adhered to the PVA nanofiber membrane but formed cell

aggregate and discoidal shaped spheroid. Hepatocytes cultured on RGD-PVA membrane adhered to and formed
monolayer on the membrane rather than formation of spheroid. Although MLE-12 lung epithelial and bEND.3

endothelial cells adhered to the surface of PVA membrane and formed cell aggregates, endothelial and epithelial
cells on YIGSR-PVA membranes showed tube-like and sheet-like cell growth, respectively. These results suggest that
PVA nanofibrous membrane containing integrin-binding peptides provides similar environment as extracellular

matrix in tissue and can support for attachment of various cells.