The Impact of Biomaterial Surface Properties on Engineering Neural Tissue for Spinal Cord Regeneration

Abstract

Tissue engineering for spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a complex and challenging task. Biomaterial scaffolds have been suggested as a potential solution for supporting cell survival and differentiation at the injury site. However, different biomaterials display multiple properties that significantly impact neural tissue at a cellular level. Here, we evaluated the behavior of different cell lines seeded on chitosan (CHI), poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL), and poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds. We demonstrated that the surface properties of a material play a crucial role in cell morphology and differentiation. While the direct contact of a polymer with the cells did not cause cytotoxicity or inhibit the spread of neural progenitor cells derived from neurospheres (NPCdn), neonatal rat spinal cord cells (SCC) and NPCdn only attached and matured on PCL and PLLA surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy and computational analysis suggested that cells attached to the material’s surface emerged into distinct morphological populations. Flow cytometry revealed a higher differentiation of neural progenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-NPC) into glial cells on all biomaterials. Immunofluorescence assays demonstrated that PCL and PLLA guided neuronal differentiation and network development in SCC. Our data emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate biomaterials for tissue engineering in SCI treatment.

Size-Optimized Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles Promote Neural Progenitor Cells Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells Through the Regulation of M6A Methylation

“…16 Increasing evidences indicated that the neural differentiation of ESCs could be promoted by nanomaterials with stable physicochemical properties in recent years. 12,17,18 mESCs could be effectively differentiated into neural precursors, neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes supported by nanofibrous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) 3D scaffolds, and the fraction of NPCs on PLGA aligned nanofibers was significantly higher than that of PLGA random nanofibers. 19 Encapsulating the neural differentiation factor RA in a mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) significantly facilitated the neural differentiation of mESCs.…”

A Bioinspired Astrocyte-Derived Coating Promotes the In Vitro Proliferation of Human Neural Stem Cells While Maintaining Their Stemness

“…Therefore, strong efforts have been expended in recent years toward the development of new and effective strategies for the treatment of neurological disorders and neurological trauma. However, one particular and difficult challenge neurological treatments face is the limited capacity of neuron cells to proliferate while reestablishing synaptic connections [1,2].…”