Sterility and C2C12 Cell Growth Potential of Polycarbonate

The current data collection method of cell growth and death in a simulated space environment using a rotary cell culture system involves the use of disposable polystyrene. Polystyrene generates large amounts of waste and is limited by the sizes determined by manufacturers. A novel rotary cell culture system at USU required a material that could be custom machined for the purposes of the simulation. Polycarbonate is a durable material that is capable of being shaped, but little is known of its biocompatibility. The sterilization treatments of dry heat, autoclaving, ethanol, and UV radiation were used and compared to unsterilized polycarbonate to determine the effectiveness of each method of sterilization on cell viability of C2C12 cells. Upon 10 days of growth, the samples of polycarbonate were removed from growth media, cleaned with ethanol to kill remaining cells, and observed for structural defects and cytotoxicity. Dry heat and wet heat were found to be acceptable processes to sterilize the polycarbonate and encourage cell growth. Polycarbonate was proven non-cytotoxic by itself, as it did not cause cell death upon contact with attached C2C12 cells