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Novel triblock co‐polymer nanofibre system as an alternative support for embryonic stem cells growth and pluripotency
Author(s) -
Perestrelo Ana Rubina,
Mouffouk Fouzi,
Costa Ana M. Rosa,
Belo José António
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.835
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-7005
pISSN - 1932-6254
DOI - 10.1002/term.1838
Subject(s) - embryonic stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , induced pluripotent stem cell , cell culture , chemistry , stem cell , cellular differentiation , tissue engineering , biology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Conventionally, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are cultured on gelatin or over a mitotically inactivated monolayer of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFsi). Considering the lack of versatile, non‐animal‐derived and inexpensive materials for that purpose, we aimed to find a biomaterial able to support ESC growth in a pluripotent state that avoids the need for laborious and time‐consuming MEFsi culture in parallel with mouse ESC (mESC) culture. Undifferentiated mESCs were cultured in a new nanofibre material designed for ESC culture, which is based on the self‐assembly of a triblock co‐polymer, poly(ethyleneglycol‐ β ‐trimethylsilyl methacrylate‐ β ‐methacrylic acid), conjugated with the peptide glycine–arginine–glycine–aspartate–serine, to evaluate its potential application in ESC research. The morphology, proliferation, viability, pluripotency and differentiation potential of mESCs were assessed. Compared to conventional stem cell culture methodologies, the nanofibres promoted a higher increase in mESCs number, enhanced pluripotency and were able to support differentiation after long‐term culture. This newly developed synthetic system allows the elimination of animal‐derived matrices and provides an economic method of ESC culture, made of a complex network of nanofibres in a scale similar to native extracellular matrices, where the functional properties of the cells can be observed and manipulated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.