Influence of modified alginate hydrogels on mesenchymal stem cells and olfactory bulb-derived glial cells cultures

Great potential of cellular therapies has generated extensive research in the field of cells harvesting and culturing. Transplantation of cell cultures has been used in a variety of therapeutic programs but in many cases it appeared that biomaterial scaffold or sheath would enhance cells regenerative potential.

Hydrogels composed of different proportions sodium and calcium alginates, were undertaken to evaluate their influence on mesenchymal stem cells and olfactory bulb-derived glial cells cultures. Additionally, these biomaterials were also enriched with fibrin protein.

The structure of materials was visualized by means of scanning electron microscopy. After seeding with cells - hydrogels were observed with inverted and fluorescence microscope. Cell's morphology, behavior and phenotype were analyzed in investigated materials by means of light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopes. Also, viability assay was performed with Alamar Blue cytotoxic test.

Our observations showed that basic alginate hydrogels had significant influence on both cell types. Materials maintained cells alive, which is desired attribute, however none of them kept cells in normal, flat form. Alginates with significant calcium component kept cells alive for longer period of culture.

Addition of fibrin protein resulted in material's biocompatibility properties improvement, by creation of adhesion surface, which helps cells to keep proper morphology and behavior. Our findings suggest that addition of fibrin protein to alginate hydrogels improves them as cell carriers for regenerative medicine applications.