Microengineered Surface Topography Facilitates Cell Grafting from a Prototype.pdfVIP

Microengineered Surface Topography Facilitates Cell Grafting from a Prototype Hydrogel Wound Dressing with Antibacterial Capability Annie G. Smith, ? Abbas Din, ? Morgan Denyer, ? Nicholas J. Crowther, ? Donald Eagland, ? Kath Vowden, § Peter Vowden, § and Stephen T. Britland* ,?,? School of Pharmacy, University of Bradford, UK, AGT Sciences Ltd., Listerhills Science Park, Bradford, UK, and Department of Vascular Surgery, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK Skin wounds derive therapeutic benefit from redeployment of dermal tissues, whether as split- thickness allo- and autografts or as biological dressings comprising cultured cells. However, the clinical outcome is strongly influenced by the techniques used for cell/tissue grafting and also the microbiological status of the wound. Here we report that microtopography incorporated into the surface of a novel polymeric material, derivatized with fibronectin to promote attachment and encourage motility, improved the efficiency of cell transfer onto de-epithelialized human skin ex vivo. The microtopography had two functions, first as a conduit for migrating cells to cross between the vehicle and recipient surface and second to shield adherent cells from destruction by mechanical shearing during handling and application. Quantitative analysis showed that topographic projections (columns) rather than recesses (pits) in the hydrogel surface achieved the highest efficiency of cell transfer. In order to address the crucial relevance of microbiological contamination to the success of wound grafting, the effect of iodine on several common bacterial pathogens was examined using an XTT+CQ10 kinetic cell viability assay. Increasing concentrations of iodine initially stressed and after 0.5% v/v were subsequently bacteriocidal for Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Bacillus subtillis and Staphylococcus aureus. Slightly higher doses of iodine (approx 1-1.5% v/v) were required to kill HaCaT