Neurogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on aligned electrospun polypyrrole/polylactide composite nanofibers with electrical stimulation

Abstract

Adult central nervous system (CNS) tissue has a limited capacity to recover after trauma or disease. Recent medical cell therapy using polymeric biomaterial-loaded stem cells with the capability of differentiation to specific neural population has directed focuses toward the recovery of CNS. Fibers that can provide topographical, biochemical and electrical cues would be attractive for directing the differentiation of stem cells into electro-responsive cells such as neuronal cells. Here we report on the fabrication of an electrospun polypyrrole/polylactide composite nanofiber film that direct or determine the fate of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), via combination of aligned surface topography, and electrical stimulation (ES). The surface morphology, mechanical properties and electric properties of the film were characterized. Comparing with that on random surface film, expression of neurofilament-lowest and nestin of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (huMSCs) cultured on film with aligned surface topography and ES were obviously enhanced. These results suggest that aligned topography combining with ES facilitates the neurogenic differentiation of huMSCs and the aligned conductive film can act as a potential nerve scaffold.

Keywords

human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells / neurogenic differentiation / conductive composite film / electrospun nanofibers / electrical stimulation

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Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

This work was in part supported by the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program (Grant Nos. 20131089199 and 20161080091). The authors thank Cell Facility in Tsinghua Center of Biomedical Analysis for the assistance of using Zeiss LSM 710 instrument.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2016 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg