神经干细胞在新型复合支架中的生长和分化

Neural stem cells on a novel composite scaffold: growth and differentiation

BACKGROUND:Neural stem cells with self-proliferation and differentiation potential are the ideal seed cells for central nervous tissue engineering. Although collagen and silk fibroin as biological scaffold materials have been widely used, both of them used alone have certain shortcomings. Is it possible to combine the two materials to build a novel neural tissue-engineered scaffold? What is the effect of this novel scaffold on the growth and differentiation of neural stem cells? OBJECTIVE:To observe the growth and differentiation of neural stem cells seeded onto the novel composite scaffold. METHODS:The rat embryonic neural stem cells were inoculated onto new composite scaffolds, and then, their growth and differentiation were observed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Neural stem cells were cultured in conventional suspension culture as control group. Cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect viability of neural stem cells in the two groups. Three-dimensional composite scaffolds carrying neural stem cells were sliced into paraffin sections to observe the growth and differentiation of neural stem cells by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neural stem cells cultured on the new composite scaffold grew and differentiated well, and interconnected synapses were observed. Cell counting kit-8 assay showed that neural stem cells on the scaffold grew well, and the cell viability was significantly higher in the composite scaffold group than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining of paraffin sections further provided evidence for good growth and differentiation of neural stem cells on the scaffold. These results indicate that the novel composite scaffold with good biocompatibility benefits the growth and differentiation of neural stem cells, promising a favorable application prospect.