Magnetoresponsive Anisotropic Fiber-Integrating Hydrogels for Neural Tissue Regeneration

resumo

The physiological functions of specific areas of the nervous system, such as the spinal cord, are directional dependent, relying on the ordered arrangement of cells and extracellular matrix. Here, an automated electrospinning method is used to make fibers with different diameters by changing the concentrations of polycaprolactone/gelatine solutions. The impact of fiber diameter, orientation, and the inclusion of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on neural stem cell (NSC) behavior and differentiation is investigated. Fibers with an average diameter of 1189 +/- 274 nm greatly improve neuronal differentiation. The highest relative expression of the neuronal marker Tuj-1 and the formation of interconnected neuronal networks with neurites aligned along the fiber axis demonstrate this. Incorporating SPIONS into the fibers do not damage the cells, and aligned fibers do much better than random fibers at cell proliferation, migration, and neurite alignment. Further, magnetoresponsive fiber-based hydrogels are fabricated by embedding SPIONS-loaded fibers within a collagen matrix, which enables remote alignment of the fibers via a magnetic field. Postcrosslinking maintains this alignment and induces significant neurite orientation within the hydrogels. The potential use of automated, magnetically responsive electrospun fibers as flexible supports for NSC differentiation and neural tissue engineering guidance is demonstrated. Fibers with controlled diameters are aligned via automated electrospinning and cut into tiles. Magnetic fields align the tiles in collagen hydrogels using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and this alignment persists after crosslinking. The effects of fiber diameter, orientation, and SPIONs on neural stem cell behavior and differentiation suggest that aligned fiber-integrating hydrogels may promote neuronal regeneration.image (c) 2024 WILEY-VCH GmbH

palavras-chave

NERVE; NANOFIBER; GROWTH; PROLIFERATION; NANOPARTICLES; SCAFFOLDS; REGROWTH; DIAMETER; MICRO

categoria

Chemistry; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Materials Science

autores

Sousa, JPM; Monteiro, CF; Deus, IA; Completo, A; Stratakis, E; Mano, JF; Marques, PAAP

Grupos

G5 - Materiais Biomiméticos, Biológicos e Vivos

Projectos

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)

Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)

agradecimentos

This work was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 829060. This work was developed within the scope of the projects: TEMA, UIDB/00481/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDB/00481/2020) and UIDP/00481/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDP/00481/2020), CICECO, UIDB/50011/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDB/50011/2020), UIDP/50011/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDP/50011/2020), and LA/P/0006/2020 (DOI 10.54499/LA/P/0006/2020), financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). This work was also supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology through the doctoral grants of J.P.M.S., C.F.M., and I.A.D. with the respective identifiers: SFRH/BD/144579/2019, SFRH/BD/144640/2019, and 2021.05271.BD. The authors would also like to thank Luciana Rocha and Cristina Sequeira for their assistance with XRD and SEM analysis, respectively.