Nanofibrous Carbon Multifunctional Smart Scaffolds for Simultaneous Cell Differentiation and Dopamine Detection

Advances in stem-cell therapy rely on new, multifunctional smart scaffolds (MSS) to promote growth while simultaneously characterizing stem cells undergoing selective differentiation. Nondestructive cell characterization techniques, such as electrochemical detection of lineage-specific metabolites, play a critical role in translational stem-cell therapy by providing clinicians with real-time information to evaluate cell-readiness for transplant. However, electrochemical sensors that provide biophysical cues capable of guiding cell fate, while preserving electroactive functionality, remain unavailable. In this work, a carbon MSS is fabricated by pyrolyzing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with optimal multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) loading to optimize electrochemical activity and with a tunable surface to promote cell growth and organization. Carbon MSS is used to (1) enhance the morphology and differentiation of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells (mNSPCs) derived from different regions of the developing brain and (2) simultaneously detect a neurotransmitter, dopamine, from a model dopaminergic cell line growing on the electrode. The study presents a carbon multifunctional smart scaffold for advancing stem-cell therapy toward clinically relevant applications.