2010 Volume 22 Issue 3 Pages 125-131
The construction of a system for analysis of cell population behavior during real-time monitoring is anticipated to evaluate normal cellular function noninvasively and quantitatively on scaffolds. This report presents the construction of a cell visualization system in real-time and reports measurement of cellular singular nature on the scaffolds. Two types of segmented polyurethane (SPU) scaffolds, including nanofiber (0.76±0.12 μm) and microfiber (5.79±0.46 μm) scaffolds with fiber orientation were fabricated using an electrospinning method. Mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3) were seeded to SPU fibrous scaffolds in a culture well. The relations of the scaffold structure to the direction and migration speed of the cell population were investigated to analyze cell population behavior over the period of a week using particle image velocimetry (PIV) in real-time. The PIV analysis results demonstrated the ability to perform vector analysis at the same time for plural numbers of cells. The migration of individual cells in the population was analyzed using fibers designed with a diameter of 0.76±0.12 to 5.79±0.46 μm. Individual cells in the cell population migrated approximately 30 μm/h on the fibrous scaffolds. In conclusion, the system developed using PIV was effective for the analysis of cell population behavior.
