The effect of aligned and random electrospun fibrous scaffolds on rat mesenchymal stem cell proliferation

The development of combining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with surface modified three-dimensional (3D) biomaterial scaffold provides a desirable alternative for replacement of damaged and diseased tissue. Nanofibrous scaffolds serve as suitable environment for cell attachment and proliferation due to their similarity to the physical dimension of the natural extracellular matrix. In this study the properties of plasma treated poly-C-caprolactone nanofiber scaffolds (p-PCL) and unaltered PCL scaffolds were compared, and then p-PCL scaffolds were evaluated for MSC culture.

Aligned and random PCL nanofibrus scaffolds were fabricated by electrospining and their surface modified with O2 plasma treatment to enhance MSC proliferation, adhesion and interaction. Chemical and mechanical characterizations were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle and tensile testing. Cell adhesion and morphology were evaluated using SEM 1 day after culture. Statistical analysis was carried out using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

The proliferation of MSCs were evaluated using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide(MTT) assay on day 1, 3, and 5 after cell culture. Results showed that the numbers of cells that had grown on PCL nanofibrous scaffolds were significantly higher than those of control surfaces without nanofibers. Furthermore, the proliferation of MSCs on random nanofiber was significantly higher compared to that on aligned nanofiber.

This study showed that while both aligned and random plasma treated PCL nanofibrous scaffold are more suitable substrates for MSC growth than tissue culture plates, random nanofiber best supported the proliferation of MSCs.