Objective      To evaluate the feasibility of electrospun polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanofibers with different topographic features as scaffolding for rat dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRGns).       Methods      Ordered and disordered electrospun PMMA nanofibers were prepared to culture rat DRGns

with a PMMA film as control. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene as reporter gene was introduced into the DRGns through lentivirus to reveal the growth ability of the DRGns on different substrates

and to analyze the relationship between the neurites and the electrospun nanofibers.       Results      DRGns could adhere to and grow on the PMMA materials

and the topographic features could exert obvious contact guidance for neurite growth. DRGns cultured on the ordered nanofibers could form ordered neurites as compared with those cultured on the PMMA film and the disordered nanofibers

however

there were no differences in the average number and length of the neurites on the 2nd day. The merged images of GFP fluorescence and the nanofibers showed that the neurites were elongated along the nanofibers

and the ordered nanofibers could provide more support for the DRGns than the disordered nanofibers.       Conclusion      Ordered electrospun PMMA nanofibers have the potentiality as scaffolding for transplantable DRGns after neural injury.