Protein expression pattern of mouse retinal progenitor cells grown on a poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffold

BIOL 76

William L. Neeley1, Stephen Redenti2, Michael J. Young, michael.young@schepens.harvard.edu2, and Robert Langer, rlanger@mit.edu3. (1) Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room E25-342, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, (2) Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, (3) Department of Chemical Engineering and Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room E25-342, Cambridge, MA 02139
Diseases that cause photoreceptor cell degeneration afflict millions of people, yet no restorative treatment exists for these blinding disorders. Replacement of photoreceptors using retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) represents a promising therapy for photoreceptor degeneration. Two challenges encountered in a progenitor cell-based therapy are enhancing cell survival and directing the differentiation of the cells to functional photoreceptor fates. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of polymer scaffolds to increase significantly both the survival and differentiation of RPCs. We report the microfabrication of a poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffold with superior mechanical properties for the delivery of RPCs to the subretinal space. The biocompatibility of the polymer scaffold with mouse RPCs and the effects of the scaffold on the expression of protein markers of differentiation are discussed.
 

Frontiers in Chemical Biology
5:00 PM-7:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster

Division of Biological Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007