Advanced capability of radially aligned fibrous scaffolds coated with polydopamine for guiding directional migration of human mesenchymal stem cells

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. B, Materials for biology and medicine Vol. 5; no. 44; pp. 8725 - 8737
• Main Authors: Shin, Young Min, Shin, Hyeok Jun, Yang, Dae-Hyeok, Koh, Young-Joo, Shin, Heungsoo, Chun, Heung Jae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 28.11.2017
• Subjects: aromatic compounds; cell adhesion; Cell migration; Coating effects; coatings; Defects; dipping; Dopamine; electrodes; Elongation; Fibers; humans; Mesenchymal stem cells; mesenchymal stromal cells; Mesenchyme; Radial distribution; Regeneration; Scaffolds; Stem cells; Tissue engineering; tissue repair
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/C7TB01758H

In a large tissue defect, faster migration of adjacent tissue toward the defect shortens the tissue regeneration time. Little has been explored on guiding of directional migration from all fronts of the defect boundary towards the center in tissue engineering. This paper demonstrates the effect of radially aligned fibrous scaffolds (RAFSs) coated with polydopamine in order to guide directional migration of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). RAFSs were electrospun using a collector with a set of electrodes, each constructed with a metallic ring and a point. The polydopamine was then coated by dipping the scaffolds in a dopamine solution (PD-RAFS). The RAFSs exhibited radial distribution of the fibers from the peripheral region toward the center, and polydopamine was uniformly coated over the entire surface by presenting characteristics of the aromatic ring from dopamine. When hMSCs were seeded on the scaffolds, cells grew in an elongated form toward the center along the fiber direction. In particular, the polydopamine coating improved adhesion and spreading of hMSCs on the scaffolds while preserving initial cell orientation. The hMSCs migrated toward the center of the scaffolds at the border of the seeded area; it was enhanced in the order of PD-RAFS > RAFS > random fibrous scaffolds. Therefore, PD-RAFSs can be utilized as an alternate scaffold that can lead to fast and directional migration of cells for finally facilitating tissue regeneration.