Electrically Stimulated Adipose Stem Cells on Polypyrrole-Coated Scaffolds for Smooth Muscle Tissue Engineering

Abstract

We investigated the use of polypyrrole (PPy)-coated polymer scaffolds and electrical stimulation (ES) to differentiate adipose stem cells (ASCs) towards smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Since tissue engineering lacks robust and reusable 3D ES devices we developed a device that can deliver ES in a reliable, repeatable, and cost-efficient way in a 3D environment. Long pulse (1 ms) or short pulse (0.25 ms) biphasic electric current at a frequency of 10 Hz was applied to ASCs to study the effects of ES on ASC viability and differentiation towards SMCs on the PPy-coated scaffolds. PPy-coated scaffolds promoted proliferation and induced stronger calponin, myosin heavy chain (MHC) and smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression in ASCs compared to uncoated scaffolds. ES with 1 ms pulse width increased the number of viable cells by day 7 compared to controls and remained at similar levels to controls by day 14, whereas shorter pulses significantly decreased viability compared to the other groups. Both ES protocols supported smooth muscle expression markers. Our results indicate that electrical stimulation on PPy-coated scaffolds applied through the novel 3D ES device is a valid approach for vascular smooth muscle tissue engineering.

Adipose Tissue Stem Cells for Therapy: An Update on the Progress of Isolation, Culture, Storage, and Clinical Application

“…ASCs can reduce scar formation and promote the healing process in cutaneous wounds [81]. Besides, electrical stimulation of viability and differentiation of ASCs in scaffolds supports the treatment of bone defect and regeneration of smooth muscle tissue [82,83].…”

Polycaprolactone‐chitosan‐polypyrrole conductive biocomposite nanofibrous scaffold for biomedical applications

“…PPy can be used for creating conductive and biocompatible scaffold for tissue simulations like cultured human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC)‐derived cardiomyocytes on silk fibroin‐poly(pyrrole), Schwann cells (S42) rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) on chitosan‐MVCN‐PPy double‐layered nerve guidance conduit (NGC) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) on PPy‐coated Poly (trimethylene carbonate) scaffolds …”

3D Scaffolds Based on Conductive Polymers for Biomedical Applications

“…25 The most common method to incorporate CPs is by in situ polymerization and deposition into an already prepared 3D substrate, also known as 'coating'. [26][27] Vapour phase polymerization (VPP) has become a feasible method to deposit conductive films in a defined and controllable manner. In contrast to conventional chemical polymerization in solution, synthesis of the polymer in the VPP process occurs through a monomer in its vapour state.…”