OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of RCCS on cell seeding onto 3-D scaffold and cell-scaffold composite culture in vitro.

METHODSRabbit skin fibroblasts of passage 2 were seeded at 2 x 10(6) cell per cm(3) onto/into polyglycolic acid (PGA) foams by static seeding (dropping a cell suspension onto foams) or dynamic seeding (rotating PGA foams and a cell suspension in RCCS). Attachment of cells in foams was observed by cell-counting after trypsin digestion. The effects of culture condition were next studied by culturing cell-PGA complexes in RCCS versus static culture condition. Distribution and proliferation of cells in foams were investigated with MTT, stereomicroscope and scan electron microscope.

RESULTSNumbers of cells adhering to polymers increased gradually during an initial period of 24 hours. Eight, 12 and 24 hours after seeding, the rates of adhering cells were significantly higher in the dynamic seeding group than in the static seeding group (46.70% + 2.16% vs. 31.50% +/- 3.54%; 56.36% +/- 3.18% vs. 34.28% +/- 3.16%; 66.32% +/- 4.60% vs. 37.38% +/- 4.66%; P < 0.01). The dynamic culture method as compared to the static method resulted in new tissues with a higher cellularity and more uniform cell distribution during a 3 period of weeks.

CONCLUSIONSRCCS has advantages of promoting cell attachment, uniform migration and proliferation in polymer scaffolds and can be used for construction of 3-D cell-polymer tissues in vitro.