Cellular responses and behaviors of adipose-derived stem cells onto β-glucan and PLGA composites surface-modified by microwave-induced argon plasma

Abstract

Tissue engineering represents an innovative approach for the development of novel clinical modalities for the reconstruction of adipose tissue defects. Each year a variety of medical procedures are required for the repair of adipose tissue traumas and abnormalities, including cosmetic facial reconstructions of the cheek, chin and jaw. Currently, there has been a growing interest in in vitro differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) into adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic and osteogenic cells among other cell types. The fast growing interest in the use of adipose precursor cells in tissue engineering applications creates a need for more research in the development of scaffolds that can support the attachment and proliferation of these adult stem cells in vitro and in situ. Cell-based approaches utilizing adipogenic progenitor cells in combination with biomaterial carriers for fat tissue engineering have been developed and were reported to repair defect sites. Plasma treatment has the advantage of modifying the surface region to a depth of only a few nanometers without affecting the bulk properties. A commonly used method is to introduce hydrogen peroxides at the surface either by inert gas plasma treatment followed by exposure to oxygen or by corona discharge treatment. This advantage can benefit the fabrication of scaffolds with interpenetrating porous structure for tissue engineering. Plasma technique can be easily used to induce the desired groups or chains onto the surface of a material, so it has a special application to improve the cell affinity of the scaffold. β-Glucans are polymers of glucose that mainly construct the outer cell wall of fungi and certain bacteria. They have been demonstrated to have immune stimulatory activity, especially to enhance wound healing by increasing macrophage infiltration into the injury sites and stimulating tissue granulation and re-epithelialization. The present study concentrated on enhancing the cellular responses of ADSCs on the surface-modified composites of β-glucan and PLGA by microwave-induced argon plasma treatment.