The influence of fiber diameter of electrospun substrates on neural stem cell differentiation and proliferation

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into all types of neural lineage under different biochemical and topographical Cues. in this Study, we Cultured rat hippocampus-derived adult NSCs (rNSCs) on laminin-coated electrospun Polyethersulfone (PES) fiber meshes with average fiber diameters of 283 +/- 45 nm, 749 +/- 153 nm and 1452 +/- 312 nm; and demonstrated that fiber diameter of PES mesh significantly influences rNSC differentiation and proliferation. Under the differentiation condition (in the presence of I pm retinoic acid and 1% fetal bovine serum), rNSCs showed a 40% increase in oligodendrocyte differentiation on 283-nm fibers and 20% increase in neuronal differentiation on 749-nm fibers, in comparison to tissue Culture polystyrene surface. SEM imaging revealed that cells stretched multi-directionally to follow underlying 283-nm fibers, but extended along a single fiber axis on larger fibers. When Cultured on fiber meshes in serum free medium in the presence of 20 ng/mL of FGF-2, rNSCs showed lower proliferation and more rounded morphology compared to that Cultured on laminin-coated 2D surface. As the fiber diameter decreased, higher degree of proliferation and cell spreading an(] lower degree of cell aggregation were observed. This collective evidence indicates fiber topography can play a vital role it) regulating differentiation and proliferation of rNSCs in Culture. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.