Emulsion electrospun nanofibers as substrates for cardiomyogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

The potential of cardiomyogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on emulsion electrospun scaffold containing poly(L-lactic acid)-co-poly-(ε-caprolactone), gelatin and vascular endothelial growth factor (PLCL/GV) was investigated in this study. The characterizations of the scaffold were carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope, water contact angle and porometer. The proliferation of hMSCs showed that 73.4% higher cell proliferation on PLCL/GV scaffolds than that on PLCL scaffold after 20 days of cell culture. Results of 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate staining and SEM morphology analysis indicated that hMSCs differentiated on PLCL/GV scaffolds showed irregular morphology of cardiomyocyte phenotype compared to the typical long and thin hMSC phenotype. Immunostaining results showed the expression of alpha actinin and myosin heavy chain. Our studies identified emulsion electrospinning as a method for fabrication of core-shell fibers suitable for the differentiation of stem cells to cardiac cells, with potential application in cardiac regeneration.