Three-Dimensional Polydopamine Functionalized Coiled Microfibrous Scaffolds Enhance Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Colonization and Mild Myofibroblastic Differentiation

Abstract

Electrospinning has been widely applied for tissue engineering due to its versatility of fabricating extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking fibrillar scaffolds. Yet there are still challenges such as that these two-dimensional (2D) tightly packed, hydrophobic fibers often hinder cell infiltration and cell-scaffold integration. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) was electrospun into a grounded coagulation bath collector, resulting in 3D coiled microfibers with in situ surface functionalization with hydrophilic, catecholic polydopamine (pDA). The 3D scaffolds showed biocompatibility and were well-integrated with human bone marrow derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), with significantly higher cell penetration depth compared to that of the 2D PCL microfibers from traditional electrospinning. Further differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into fibroblast phenotype in vitro indicates that, compared to the stiff, tightly packed, 2D scaffolds which aggravated myofibroblasts related activities, such as upregulated gene and protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), 3D scaffolds induced milder myofibroblastic differentiation. The flexible 3D fibers further allowed contraction with the well-integrated, mechanically active myofibroblasts, monitored under live-cell imaging, whereas the stiff 2D scaffolds restricted that.

Fabrication of polydopamine nanoparticles knotted alginate scaffolds and their properties

“…However, mechanism of the interactions and accurate structures of PDA had not been confirmed yet . The formed PDA can further incorporate many functional groups, such as phenol, amine, thiol and imine groups . Polymers (or tissues) containing these functional groups can react with PDA via hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds.…”

Three‐dimensional electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

“…Strategies for preparing 3D electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds and the microscopic morphology: (a) sacrificial components (Wang et al, ); (b) wet‐electrospinning (Chakrapani, Kumar, Raj, & Kumary, ; Taskin et al, ); (c) cryogenic electrospinning (Formica et al, ); (d) electrohydrodynamic printing (Wu et al, ); (e) dispersion‐shaping (Xu, Miszuk, Zhao, Sun, & Fong, ); (f) gas‐foaming (Hwang et al, )…”

“…Mehmet et al developed a 3D PCL nanofibrous scaffold by wet electrospinning. For polydopamine coating, the PCL solution was spun on a 95% ethanol bath containing 1 mM NaOH and 5 mg/ml dopamine (Taskin et al, ). Similarly, by polydopamine coating, BMP‐2 derived peptides can also be adsorbed onto the surface of scaffold without inactivation and sustained release for more than 20 days (Ye et al, ).…”

Electrospun Fibers for Recruitment and Differentiation of Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

“…pDA coated fibers were found to enhance osteogenesis of bone marrow stem cells, suggesting its role in commitment of MSCs toward osteogenic lineage. Another study showed the multi‐walled carbon nanotube coating on polycaprolactone fibers enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation for nerve tissue regeneration . Hence, surface functionalization of electrospun fibers provides an environment which is more favorable for cells to interact with the substrate.…”

“…Another study showed the multi-walled carbon nanotube coating on polycaprolactone fibers enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation for nerve tissue regeneration. [23] Hence, surface functionalization of electrospun fibers provides an environment which is more favorable for cells to interact with the substrate. Identification of the required functional groups and surface coating for the electrospun fibers is a crucial parameter to make the substrate more biocompatible.…”