NON CONVENTIONAL SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZATION OF POROUS POLY-ε-CAPROLACTONE SCAFFOLDS USING BIOACTIVE MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED NANOSPHERES

Polymeric scaffolds, in the form of porous membranes, modified to favour cell adhesion and proliferation on their surface, were prepared using an innovative technique of functionalization, based on molecularly imprinting technology. A series of membranes based on poly-e-caprolactone were obtained through phase inversion using different solvents and non-solvents. Diffusion tests showed that prepared membranes exhibited a good permeability towards important nutrients such as folic acid and glucose. The ability of membranes, modified with imprinted nanoparticles, to facilitate cell adhesion and proliferation was evaluated by cell culture method using murine fibroblast cell line. SEM analysis at 72 h after seeding revealed an improved cell distribution on the surface of the membranes functionalized by deposition of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles.