Design of Neuronal Supramolecular Scaffolds Integrating Cell Signaling and Electrical Conductivity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Scaffolds are crucial for neural repair, differentiation, and bioelectronic integration.
• Previous scaffolds incorporating growth factors, stem cells, or conducting polymers have shown limited efficacy.
• Developing bioactive scaffolds that mimic neural tissue properties is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an extrusion-printable bioactive scaffold for neural applications.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of peptide amphiphile filaments, a conducting polymer, and gellan gum on neuronal bioactivity.
• To assess the scaffold's potential in neural tissue engineering and bioelectronic interfaces.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D printable scaffold using peptide amphiphile (PA) filaments, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and gellan gum.
• Dual functionalization of PEDOT with alkoxysulfonates and hydroxyl groups to enhance conductivity and biocompatibility.
• Culturing mouse and human neuronal cells on the scaffold to evaluate neuronal maturation, electrophysiological function, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging.
• Utilizing extrusion printing to achieve alignment of scaffold components and cultured neurons.

Main Results:

• The scaffold demonstrated enhanced neuronal maturation and electrophysiological function in vitro.
• The hydroxyl-functionalized PEDOT improved scaffold conductivity and biocompatibility by preventing leaching.
• The conducting polymer exhibited ROS scavenging properties, potentially promoting neuronal maturation via cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathways.
• Extrusion printing facilitated the alignment of PA filaments and neurons, mimicking natural neural tissue architecture.

Conclusions:

• The developed biomaterial scaffold shows significant potential for promoting neural bioactivity.
• This scaffold is suitable for diverse applications in regenerative medicine and neural bioelectronics.
• The synergistic combination of components and the printable, aligned architecture offer a promising platform for neural tissue engineering.