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Published on: June 18, 2014
Polycaprolactone Microfibrous Scaffolds to Navigate Neural Stem Cells.
Farrokh Sharifi1, Bhavika B Patel1, Adam K Dzuilko1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, ‡Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology and Neuroscience, and §Center of Advanced Host Defense Immunobiotics and Translational Medicine, Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa 50011, United States.
Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous scaffolds fabricated via microfluidics precisely control fiber size. These scaffolds promote adult hippocampal stem/progenitor cell (AHPC) growth and alignment for tissue regeneration applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Fibrous scaffolds are crucial in tissue engineering for guiding cell behavior.
- Controlling scaffold architecture at the microscale is key for mimicking native tissue environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers of varying diameters using a microfluidic platform.
- To investigate the impact of these PCL fibrous scaffolds on adult hippocampal stem/progenitor cell (AHPC) growth, survival, and differentiation in a 3D microenvironment.
Main Methods:
- Microfluidic fabrication of PCL fibers with controlled diameters (2.6-36.5 μm) by adjusting flow rates.
- Culturing AHPCs on 3D PCL fibrous scaffolds with extracellular matrix cues.
- Analyzing cell adhesion, survival, differentiation, and alignment using microscopy and angle measurements.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated precise control over PCL fiber diameter using microfluidics.
- PCL scaffolds supported AHPC adhesion, survival, and differentiation in a 3D context.
- Significant cell alignment was observed, with 44-66% of cells showing deviation angles less than 10°.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidically fabricated PCL fibrous scaffolds offer tunable topography for enhanced cell alignment.
- These scaffolds show potential for nerve repair, axon guidance, and regeneration of vascular, tendon, and muscle tissues.
