Carbon Nanotube Composites as Multifunctional Substrates for In Situ Actuation of Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cells

Abstract

For the first time, single‐walled carbon nanotube–polymer composites are shown to enhance human neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation with electrical stimulation. The substrates are electrically conductive, mechanically robust, and highly biocompatible with human NSC cultures. The substrate's fibrous topography mimicking the extracellular matrix enhances neuronal lineage expression and electro‐conductivity provides means for controlled stimulation of neuronal maturation.

Chitin and carbon nanotube composites as biocompatible scaffolds for neuron growth

“…Tissue engineering provides an alternative approach to study tissue regeneration by use and design of biomaterials to house cells and provide a three-dimensional structure to the growing cells. For the purpose of neurons, electrically-conducting polymers are of utmost importance as electrical stimulation has been shown to be most promising to enhance nerve regeneration [4][5][6][7][8][9] as well as for stimulation of neural stem cells [10][11][12] . Thus, fabrication of conducting bio-scaffolds is an important area of study.…”

Controlling the Outgrowth and Functions of Neural Stem Cells: The Effect of Surface Topography

“…CNTsh ave been either blended with the polymers before processing [43] or incorporateda tapost-processing step. [56] Interestingly,t he studies show an increased neuronal differentiation on these composites compared to their counterparts (i.e. withoutt he conductive component) even without electricals timulation.A ccordingly,L anders et al developed composites of electrospun poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) fibers with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and investigated the ability of these substrates to enhanced ifferentiation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived NSCs.I ncreasedn euronal differentiation on the SWNT-PLGA compo-sites compared to the 2D control( PLGA thin film glass coverslips) was demonstrated.…”

“…Accordingly, conductive materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have been combined with medically approved polymers to form highly conductive composites. CNTs have been either blended with the polymers before processing or incorporated at a post‐processing step . Interestingly, the studies show an increased neuronal differentiation on these composites compared to their counterparts (i.e.…”

“…developed composites of electrospun poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) fibers with single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and investigated the ability of these substrates to enhance differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived NSCs. Increased neuronal differentiation on the SWNT‐PLGA composites compared to the 2D control (PLGA thin film glass coverslips) was demonstrated . Interestingly, the kinetics of neuronal differentiation was further enhanced when electrical stimulation was applied.…”

“…They also confirmed the functionality of the differentiated neurons with sypaptophysin (i.e. a synaptic vesicle protein) immunocytochemistry and calcium imaging, where electrically active cells are defined as those that show an increase in fluorescence due to calcium influx in response to an external electrical stimulation . Using aligned nanofiber electrospun scaffolds composed of PLLA blended with either single‐ or multi‐walled carbon‐nanotubes, Kabiri et al.…”