Self-assembling peptide hydrogels promote microglial cells proliferation and NGF production

Abstract

Peptidic hydrogels are an interesting class of materials, with potential applications in tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery. Fmoc–Phe3 self-assembling peptide was synthesized in an aqueous phase by using a lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens. The bioconversion afforded a self-supporting hydrogel in only 10 minutes, a feature that seems very promising for biotechnological applications. The rheological properties of such material were studied. The peptide hydrogel, used as a scaffold for culturing rat microglial cells, induced a significant cell proliferation and an increased production of the neurotrophic factor NGF. Moreover, microscopy studies demonstrated that the hydrogel was able to promote microglial cell adhesion.