The Open Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Journal

2010, 3 : 1-9
Published online 2010 February 12. DOI: 10.2174/1875043501003010001
Publisher ID: TOTERMJ-3-1

Electrospun Poly(L,D-lactide) Scaffolds Support the Growth of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Neuronal Cells

Laura Ylä-Outinen , Christine Mariani , Heli Suuronen , Ali Harlin and Susanna Narkilahti
Regea-Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.

ABSTRACT

Stem cell-derived cells, especially neural derivatives, are currently attracting considerable attention as a future source of clinical transplantations for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases and insults. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) offer an unlimited source for the production of neural cells. Transplantation of these cells, however, does not necessarily result in optimal cell graft survival, and therefore functional improvement by in vitro engineering of the cell grafts is necessary. Here, we evaluated the effects of a clinically relevant substrate, poly(L,D-lactide) (PLDLA), as a growth matrix for hESC-derived neurons on cell viability, growth, and maturation. The results were analyzed using a cell viability test, immunocytochemistry, neuron and neurite outgrowth counts, and scanning electron microscopy. In vitro culturing of cells on PLDLA scaffolds induced the differentiation, maturation, and growth of neurites comparable to cells grown on a laminin surface during 7 days follow up. These results suggest that PLDLA is a potential substrate for the preparation of neural tissue-engineered products.

Keywords:

Differentiation, Nerve tissue engineering, Neural cell.