Poly (ε-caprolactone) scaffolds functionalized by grafting NGF and GRGD promote growth and differentiation of PC12 cells.

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds functionalized by grafting nerve growth factor (NGF) and Asp-Arg-Gly-Asp (GRGD)(PCL-NGF/GRGD) for neural tissue engineering. The influences of PCL-NGF/GRGD scaffolds on the growth and differentiation of PC12 cells were investigated. The successfully grafting NGF and GRGD into PCL-CS scaffold were verified by FTIR spectra. The densities of GRGD and NGF in the scaffolds were about 2.10×10(-1) μmol/cm(2) and 1.51×10(-3) nmol/cm(2) . Growths of PC12 cells in PCL-GRGD and PCL/NGF-GRGD scaffolds via MTS measurements were significantly higher (p < 0.01, n = 4) than that in PCL-CS or PCL-NGF ones for three days of cultivation that was consistent with SEM observations. Moreover, the differentiation of PC12 cells, induced by NGF at 50 ng/mL for four days, in PCL-NGF/GRGD scaffolds were qualitatively more numbers and longer outgrowth of neurites than those in PCL-CS, PCL-GRGD, and PCL-NGF ones by SEM observations. The synergistic effects of grafting both NGF and GRGD ligands to PCL-CS scaffolds on the growth and differentiation of PC12 cells provide a new biomaterial for neural tissue engineering.