Nanofiber matrices promote the neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursors in vitro.

The potential of human embryonic stem (ES) cells as experimental therapies for neuronal replacement has recently received considerable attention. In view of the organization of the mature nervous system into distinct neural circuits, key challenges of such therapies are the directed differentiation of human ES cell-derived neural precursors (NPs) into specific neuronal types and the directional growth of axons along specified trajectories. In the present study, we cultured human NPs derived from the NIH-approved ES line BGO1 on polycaprolactone fiber matrices of different diameter (i.e., nanofibers and microfibers) and orientation (i.e., aligned and random); fibers were coated with poly-L-ornithine/laminin to mimic the extracellular matrix and support the adhesion, viability, and differentiation of NPs. On aligned fibrous meshes, human NPs adopt polarized cell morphology with processes extending along the axis of the fiber, whereas NPs on plain tissue culture surfaces or random fiber substrates form nonpolarized neurite networks. Under differentiation conditions, human NPs cultured on aligned fibrous substrates show a higher rate of neuronal differentiation than other matrices; 62% and 86% of NPs become TUJ1 (+) early neurons on aligned micro- and nanofibers, respectively, whereas only 32% and 27% of NPs acquire the same fate on random micro- and nanofibers. Metabolic cell activity/viability studies reveal that fiber alignment and diameter also have an effect on NP viability, but only in the presence of mitogens. Our findings demonstrate that fibrous substrates serve as an artificial extracellular matrix and provide a microenviroment that influences key aspects of the neuronal differentiation of ES-derived NPs.

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 1 microM 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 and lower degree of cell aggregation were observed. This collective evidence indicates fiber topography can play a vital role in regulating differentiation and proliferation of rNSCs in culture.