Biomedical subjects

Masatsugu Shimomura

Publications and source records attributed to Masatsugu Shimomura.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Small-diameter porous poly (epsilon-caprolactone) films enhance adhesion and growth of human cultured epidermal keratinocyte and dermal fibroblast cells.

Autologous keratinocyte grafts provide clinical benefit by rapidly covering wounded areas, but they are fragile. We therefore developed biocompatible hexagonal-packed porous films with uniform, circular pore sizes to support human keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Cells were cultured on these porous poly (epsilon-calprolactone) films with pore sizes ranging from novel ultra-small 3 microm to 20 microm. These were compared with flat (pore-less) films. Cell growth rates, adhesion, migration, and ultrastructural morphology were examined. Human keratinocytes and fibroblasts attached to all films. Furthermore, small-pore (3-5 microm) films showed the highest levels of cell adhesion and survival and prevented migration into the pores and opposing film surface. Keratinocyte migration over small-pore film surface was inhibited. Keratinocytes optimally attached to 3-microm-pore films due to a combination of greater pore numbers (porosity), a greater circumference of the pore edge per unit surface area, and greater frequency of flat surface areas for attachment, allowing better cell-substrate and cell-cell attachment and growth. The 3-microm pore size allowed cell-cell communication, together with diffusion of soluble nutrients and factors from the culture medium or wound substrate. These characteristics are considered important in developing grafts for use in the treatment of human skin wounds.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2006

Platelet adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured on anionic hydrogel scaffolds.

In this work we describe experiments designed to understand the human platelet adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on various kinds of chemically cross-linked anionic hydrogels, which were synthesized by radical polymerization. HUVECs could proliferate to sub-confluent or confluent on poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propane sulfonic acid sodium salt) (PNaAMPS), and poly(sodium p-styrene sulfonate) (PNaSS) gels. The proliferation behavior was not sensitive to the cross-linker concentration of the gels. However, the platelet adhesion on the HUVECs cultured on these gels showed different behavior, as revealed by human platelet adhesion test in static conditions. Only a few platelets adhered on the HUVEC sheets cultured on PNaAMPS gels with 4 and 10mol% cross-linker concentrations, and completely no platelet adhered on the HUVEC sheets cultured on PNaSS gels with 4 and 10mol% cross-linker concentrations. On the other hand, a large number of platelets adhered on the HUVECs cultured on PAA gels with 1, 2mol% cross-linker concentrations and PNaAMPS gel with 2mol% cross-linker concentration. Furthermore, the study showed that promote of the glycocalyx of HUVECs with transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) decreased platelet adhesion, and degrade the glycocalyx with heparinase I increased platelet adhesion. The results suggested that the glycocalyx of cultured HUVECs modulates platelet compatibility, and the amount of glycocalyx secreted by HUVECs dependents on the chemical structure and cross-linker concentration of gel scaffolds. This result should be applied to make the hybrid artificial blood vessel composes of gels and endothelial cells with high platelet compatibility.

Anions↗

PubMed2006

Electroless plating of honeycomb and pincushion polymer films prepared by self-organization.

This report describes the fabrication and electroless plating of regular porous and pincushion-like polymer structures prepared by self-organization. Honeycomb-patterned films were prepared by simple casting of polymer solution under applied humid air and pincushion structures by peeling off the top layer of the former films. Silver-deposited honeycomb-patterned films and pincushion films were obtained by simple electroless plating of the respective original structures. XPS revealed Ag deposition on the honeycomb-patterned film. After thermal decomposition or solvent elution of the template polymer, unique metal mesoscopic structures were obtained.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Mesoscale pincushions, microrings, and microdots prepared by heating and peeling of self-organized honeycomb-patterned films deposited on a solid substrate.

We describe here a preparation of pincushion structures with holes, hexagonally arranged microrings, and microdots by simple heating and peeling of self-organized honeycomb-patterned films. We have reported that the honeycomb-patterned films can be prepared by casting the solution of an amphiphilic polymer and a hydrophobic polymer under humid conditions. When annealing the honeycomb-patterned films prepared from an amphiphilic copolymer and poly(bisphenol A carbonate), we obtained a variety of mesoscale structures, depending on the heating temperatures. We revealed that these microstructures were formed by using the phase-separation structures in the self-organized honeycomb-patterned films. These micropatterns can be utilized for the template for microelectrodes, superhydrophobic surfaces, photonic crystals, and as a substrate for tissue engineering.

Benzhydryl Compounds↗

PubMed2006

Defect-mediated stripe reordering in wrinkles upon gradual changes in compression direction.

We study the stripe rearrangements in microwrinkles subjected to gradual changes in the compression direction. The spatially averaged stripe orientation follows the changing compression direction with a deviation of 3-4 degrees. Meanwhile, the local stripe orientation stays constant for a certain period and a dislocation gliding nearby causes it to jump suddenly in the direction of compression. This sequence repeatedly occurs over the surface. The regular pattern transiently appears in the stripe orientation as a result of the organized glide motions, indicating the interaction between dislocations.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Biodegradable honeycomb-patterned film composed of poly(lactic acid) and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine.

Honeycomb-patterned films have been reported to be useful for scaffolds of cell culture in tissue engineering. In the present study, we investigated a new compound, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), a naturally derived phospholipid having unsaturated fatty acid moieties, as a surfactant for fabricating honeycomb-patterned poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) film. Only DOPE among commercially available phospholipids was useful as a surfactant, and it showed good solubility in PLA/chloroform solution and an excellent property for fabricating honeycomb-patterned film (the concentration of DOPE was from 0.2% to 20% by weight based on the weight of PLA). The pore size of the honeycomb was uniform, and all pores were interconnected with each other. The contact angle of water on the honeycomb-patterned film was affected by the amount of DOPE. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF-SIMS) data suggested that DOPE was concentrated on the surface of the honeycomb-patterned film. To investigate cell proliferation and adhesion on the honeycomb-patterned film, NIH3T3 fibroblast cells were cultured on the film. The NIH3T3 cells adhered well on the honeycomb-patterned PLA film with DOPE (PLA-DOPE) and showed good cell proliferation compared to that on honeycomb-patterned PLA film fabricated with a copolymer (CAP) of dodecylacrylamide and omega-carboxyhexylacrylamide (PLA-CAP). These results suggest that the honeycomb-patterned PLA-DOPE can be applicable as a scaffold for cells with better profiles in comparison with PLA-CAP.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Effect of thermal annealing and compression on the stability of microwrinkle patterns.

We find that annealing followed by uniaxial compression affects the microwrinkle pattern, which originally shows a complex stripe phase, and its stability to mechanical perturbation. We observe a characteristic quasi-biaxial stripe pattern after unloading compressive stress in contrast to the case without annealing, which shows the retrieval of the original pattern. Moreover, another loading-unloading cycle in a different direction induces a change in the modulated pattern, indicating that the pattern is no longer stable to mechanical perturbations.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Geometry-dependent stripe rearrangement processes induced by strain on preordered microwrinkle patterns.

A preordered microwrinkle pattern on a metal-capped surface of a soft elastomer is employed to elucidate the elementary buckling phenomenon during strain-induced stripe rearrangement processes. The preordered one-dimensional stripe tends to align perpendicular to the direction of strain reversibly when lateral compressive strain is applied on the substrate at some angle phi with respect to the stripe orientation. For any value of strain, the film surface can be decomposed in domains containing stripes with two different orientations, namely the original and applied strain orientations. As strain is increased, the domains of the second type of stripes progressively grow and invade the whole surface. Interestingly, the domain shapes during growth are composed of parallelogram units that simply depend on phi and stripe wavelength. Moreover, domain growth proceeds in characteristic directions depending on the shape of the domain unit.

Dimethylpolysiloxanes↗

PubMed2005

Superhydrophobic and lipophobic properties of self-organized honeycomb and pincushion structures.

This report describes the simple preparation of superhydrophobic and lipophobic surfaces by self-organization. Microporous polymer films of a fluorinated polymer with hexagonally arranged pores were prepared by casting from solution under humid conditions. Hexagonally packed water microdroplets were formed by evaporative cooling on the surface of the casting solution. After solvent evaporation, a honeycomb-patterned polymer film was formed with the water droplet array acting as a template; the water droplets themselves evaporated soon after the solvent. Two porous polymer layers were stacked vertically, separated by pillars at the hexagon vertexes. After peeling off the top layer using adhesive tape, a pincushion-like structure was obtained. Here, we show that superhydrophobic behavior was achieved, with the maximum contact angle, 170 degrees, observed using these pincushion structures. Theoretical calculations fit the experimental results well. The lipophobic properties of the films are also discussed.

Letter↗

PubMed2005

Production of mesoscopically patterned cellulose film.

Honeycomb and stripe patterned films were prepared from cellulose triacetate (CTA)/chloroform solution, as a result of the self-organization of the polymer during evaporation of the solvent. The honeycomb patterned CTA films were prepared by two methods, a direct pattern formation method and a transcription method. The latter method gave a well-organized microporous honeycomb pattern. Both types of patterned CTA films were saponified to yield the corresponding patterned cellulose films.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2005

Simple fabrication of micro lens arrays.

Microporous polymer films with a hexagonal arrangement of pores were prepared by simple casting of various polymer solutions under humid conditions. Hexagonally packed micropores were prepared by using condensed water droplets as templates on the surface of polymer solutions. Spherical micro lens arrays (MLAs) were fabricated simply by molding from the resulting honeycomb structures. By peeling off the upper layer with adhesive tape, the pillars were severed, forming pins on each layer, and a hexagonal array of pincushion structures was generated by this procedure. Hemispherical MLAs were also fabricated by molding the pincushion structures. The hemispherical MLAs projected clearer miniaturized images than spherical MLAs.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Stretching of single DNA molecules complexed with restriction endonuclease by Langmuir-Blodgett method.

We have proposed a new technique for stretching single double-stranded DNA molecules on solid substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. The polyion complex monolayer of a cationic amphiphile and DNA molecules formed at the air-water interface was transferred on a clean glass substrate. Vertical lifting up of the glass substrate provided the transferred monolayer consisting the stretched individual DNA molecules aligned parallel to the lifting direction on the glass. The DNA molecules complexed with the restriction endonuclease (EcoRI) were employed for stretching by using this method. Fluorescence images of the transferred monolayer showed that the EcoRI-binding DNA molecules could be stretched and immobilized on the glass substrate. A specific sequence of DNA recognized by EcoRI was detected as spatial positions of the stretched DNA molecules.

Bacteriophage lambda↗

PubMed2005

Spontaneous formation of polymer nanoparticles by good-solvent evaporation as a nonequilibrium process.

In recent years, polymer nanoparticles have been investigated with great interest due to their potential applications in the fields of electronics, photonics, and biotechnology. Here, we report the spontaneous formation of polymer nanoparticles from a clear solution containing a nonvolatile poor solvent by slow evaporation of a volatile good solvent. During evaporation of the good solvent, the solution gradually turns turbid. After evaporation, polymer nanoparticles of homogeneous shape and size are dispersed in the poor solvent. Homogeneous nucleation and successive growth of polymer particles takes place during the dynamic nonequilibrium process of solvent evaporation. The size of the particles, ranging from tens of nanometers to micrometer scale, depends on both polymer concentration and the solvent mixing ratio. Because of the physical generality of the particle formation mechanism, this procedure is applicable to a wide variety of polymers with suitable combinations of solvents. Here, we also show unique features, surface structures and surface properties of polymer nanoparticles prepared by this method.

Chemical Precipitation↗

PubMed2005

Entropy production in a two-dimensional reversible Gray-Scott system.

The entropy production sigma is calculated in the time evolution processes toward a Turing-like pattern and a chaotic pattern in a two-dimensional reaction-diffusion system. The contributions of reaction and diffusion to the entropy production are evaluated separately. Though its contribution to total sigma is about 5%, the entropy production in diffusion foretells the moving direction of the dots (reaction spots) and the line-shaped patterns. The entropy production of the entire system sigma depicts well the cooperative dynamics and evolution of chaotic dot patterns. It is suggested that sigma can be a scalar measure for quantitative studies of hierarchic pattern dynamics. The relation is also discussed between the bifurcation parameter and the distance from thermodynamic equilibrium.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Three-variable reversible Gray-Scott model.

Even though the field of nonequilibrium thermodynamics has been popular and its importance has been suggested by Demirel and Sandler [J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 31 (2004)], there are only a few investigations of reaction-diffusion systems from the aspect of thermodynamics. A possible reason is that model equations are complicated and difficult to analyze because the corresponding chemical reactions need to be reversible for thermodynamical calculations. Here, we introduce a simple model for calculation of entropy production rate: a three-variable reversible Gray-Scott model. The rate of entropy production in self-replicating pattern formation is calculated, and the results are compared with those reported based on the Brusselator model in the context of biological cell division.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Influence of substrate on self-assembled photonic crystal.

Freestanding monolayers of two-dimensional particle arrays, in which fine particles are two-dimensionally self-assembled in a highly oriented manner, was prepared to examine the influence of substrate on the transmission spectra of 2D particle array; as a result, the spectrum of the freestanding 2D particle array has less noise than that of the 2D particle array on the substrate, and besides, agree with the theoretical result particularly in the near-field discussion.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Design of novel biointerfaces (II). Fabrication of self-organized porous polymer film with highly uniform pores.

Application of porous polymer materials to novel bio-interfaces for tissue engineering scaffold and artificial organs including blood filters, dialyzer, and oxygenator membranes have been in progress. The present study describes the fabrication and characterization of self-organized highly regular porous polymer films with uniform pore sizes are prepared by simple casting technique. Various fabrication parameters affecting the pore size such as polymer concentration, boiling point of solvent, cast volume and substrate are studied. The pore size can be controlled in the range from 1 to 50 microm by changing the evaporation rate of the polymer solutions. The porous film with uniform pore size is used for tissue engineering scaffold and cell separation membrane. To simulate the leukocyte eliminating from human blood, the porous film was attached to a module. The films with 5-9 microm pores provided the complete selectivity of separation for the leukocyte from the whole blood. The leukocyte elimination ratio depends on pore structures (size and depth) as well as recovery of platelet and erythrocyte.

Acrylamides↗

PubMed2003

Stretching of single DNA molecules by LB technique for restriction site mapping.

Stretched single DNA molecules were prepared on substrates by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method for the restriction site mapping. Stretched single Lambda DNA and EcoRI bound to the DNA were observed by scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). As a result, the specific binding sites of EcoRI on the Lambda DNA molecules were determined.

DNA↗