OCCLUSIVE EFFECTS OF LACTIC-ACID GLYCOLIC ACID COPOLYMER MEMBRANE ON GINGIVAL FIBROBLASTS IN-VITRO

The cell occlusive effects on human gingival fibroblasts of degradable lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer membranes (noncoated membranes) a nd membranes coated with a sucrose ester of fatty acid (coated membran es) were studied and compared with those of expanded polytetrafluoroet hylene (e-PTFE) membranes. The membranes were immersed in a culture me dium periodically for 21 daps and interposed into a chemotaxis chamber , and the fibroblasts then were cultured in the chamber for another 7 days. The passage rate of cells through the membranes was calculated a nd. the change in surface structure of each membrane after immersion f or 28 days was observed by an environmental scanning electron microsco pe. The passage rate oi coated membranes (3.4 +/- 2.2%) was significan tly lower than that of noncoated (25.7 +/- 5.1%) at the 28th day where as the passage rate of e-PTFE membranes was 0.8-1.5%. Many pores were observed on the noncoated membranes before immersion while the coating material covered most of the pores on the coated membranes. The avera ge pore size of the noncoated membranes was larger than that of the co ated membranes at day 28. The structure of the e-PTFE membranes underw ent no change. The passage rate of the coated membranes was not differ ent from the e-PTFE membranes, suggesting an effect that might be usef ul for a guided tissue regeneration procedure. (C) 1998 John Wiley & S ons, Inc.