Polymer (PLLA) scaffolds seeded with SCG cells.

(a) Confocal image with calcein stained SCG cells cultured on flat surfaces. (b) Confocal depth projection micrograph of a 20∶1 PLLA polymer scaffold with 60–100 µm sized pores, seeded with SCG cells. Cells were stained with calcein and thirty Confocal images were taken in row along the z-axis after 7 days in culture. Maximum projected images were generated with different color corresponding to different depth from the polymer surface. As shown in the color bar, pink is closest to the surface and red is at 150 µm from the surface. (c) SEM image of polymer (PLLA) scaffold without cells. (c) SEM image of a SCG cell cluster (indicated by arrow) inside a pore on day 2 after plating. (e): SEM image showing a neurite (indicated by arrow) from one cell to another on day 7 after plating. Bars represent 50 µm in (a), 100 µm (b), 50 µm in (c), 10 µm in (d) and 5 µm in (e).