Guiding mesenchymal stem cells differentiation into chondrocytes using sulfated alginate/cold atmospheric plasma modified polycaprolactone nanofibrous scaffold

Abstract

Using tissue engineering approaches is one of interesting strategies to repair cartilage injuries. This study reports the preparation of surface-modified electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibrous scaffolds with highly negatively-charged sulfated alginate as functional support for chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. In this regard, polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning, surface-activated by cold atmospheric plasma and further surface-modified with aqueous solutions of sulfated alginate. The scanning electron microscopy images showed the nanofibrous structure of electrospun PCL mats. The successful surface modification of PCL nanofibrous scaffolds with sulfated alginate was confirmed by the appearance of fingerprint region of mannuronic acid at 812 cm−1 in attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra. The cytocompatibility of the nanofibrous scaffolds for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was confirmed using MTT assay. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry for type 2 COLLAGEN marker were conducted to confirm the chondrogenic differentiation of seeded MSCs on the surface of scaffolds. The expression of type 2 COLLAGEN by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry analyses confirmed the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. Our results showed that sulfated alginate surface-modified PCL nanofibrous scaffold as an appropriate substrate for cell attachment and growth could promote the MSCs differentiate to chondrocytes.