Directionally distributed steel fiber cement-based composites(SFCCs)were prepared by magnetic field(MF)induction technology.The orientation factor of steel fibers in the as-obtained SFCCs was determined.Besides,the el...Directionally distributed steel fiber cement-based composites(SFCCs)were prepared by magnetic field(MF)induction technology.The orientation factor of steel fibers in the as-obtained SFCCs was determined.Besides,the electrical resistivity and piezoresistive responses in two directions of aligned steel fiber cement-based composites,i e,parallel and perpendicular to MF,were measured.The effects of several variables,eg,steel fiber content,curing age,humidity,and temperature,on anisotropic electrical property were studied.The cyclic and failure piezoresistive responses in different directions were tested.It is found that the aligned steel fibers in the as-obtained SFCCs have a high orientation factor more than 0.88.Besides,SFCCs with aligned steel fibers exhibit an obvious anisotropic conductivity and piezoelectric sensitivity.The electrical conductivity of SFCCs with aligned steel fibers is less affected by temperature and humidity.At the steel fiber content of 2.5wt%,the piezoelectric sensitivity coefficient of SFCCs in the direction parallel to MF has the highest value of 324.14.In addition,the piezoresistive properties of SFCCs with aligned steel fibers in the direction parallel to MF indicate excellent sensitivity and stability under cyclic loading and monotonic loading.展开更多
Rapid formation of a continuous endothelial cell(EC)monolayer with healthy endothelium function on the luminal surface of vascular implants is imperative to improve the longtime patency of small-diameter vascular impl...Rapid formation of a continuous endothelial cell(EC)monolayer with healthy endothelium function on the luminal surface of vascular implants is imperative to improve the longtime patency of small-diameter vascular implants.In the present study,we combined the contact guidance effects of aligned nanofibers,which enhance EC adhesion and proliferation because of its similar fiber scale with native vascular basement membranes,and aligned microfibers,which could induce EC elongation effectively and allow ECs infiltration.It was followed by successive immobilization of collagen IV and laminin to fabricate a biomimetic basement membrane(BBM)with structural and compositional biomimicry.The hemolysis assay and platelet adhesion results showed that the BBM exhibited excellent hemocompatibility.Meanwhile,the adhered human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)onto theBBMaligned along the orientation of the microfibers with an elongated morphology,and the data demonstrated that the BBM showed favorable effects on EC attachment,proliferation,and viability.The oriented EC monolayer formed on the BBM exhibited improved antithrombotic capability as indicated by higher production of nitric oxide and prostacyclin(PGI2).Furthermore,fluorescence images indicated that HUVECs could infiltrate into the BBM,implying theBBM’s ability to enhance transmural endothelialization.Hence,theBBMpossessed the properties to regulate ECbehaviors and allow transmural ingrowth,demonstrating the potential to be applied as the luminal surface of small-diameter vascular implants for rapid endothelialization.展开更多
Autografting is the gold standard for surgical repair of nerve defects>5 mm in length;however,autografting is associated with potential complications at the nerve donor site.As an alternative,nerve guidance conduit...Autografting is the gold standard for surgical repair of nerve defects>5 mm in length;however,autografting is associated with potential complications at the nerve donor site.As an alternative,nerve guidance conduits may be used.The ideal conduit should be flexible,resistant to kinks and lumen collapse,and provide physical cues to guide nerve regeneration.We designed a novel flexible conduit using electrospinning technology to create fibers on the innermost surface of the nerve guidance conduit and employed melt spinning to align them.Subsequently,we prepared disordered electrospun fibers outside the aligned fibers and helical melt-spun fibers on the outer wall of the electrospun fiber lumen.The presence of aligned fibers on the inner surface can promote the extension of nerve cells along the fibers.The helical melt-spun fibers on the outer surface can enhance resistance to kinking and compression and provide stability.Our novel conduit promoted nerve regeneration and functional recovery in a rat sciatic nerve defect model,suggesting that it has potential for clinical use in human nerve injuries.展开更多
To investigate the contribution of fibre arrangement to guiding the aligned growth of corneal stroma cells,aligned and randomly oriented fibrous scaffolds of gelatin and poly-L-lactic acid（PLLA） were fabricated by e...To investigate the contribution of fibre arrangement to guiding the aligned growth of corneal stroma cells,aligned and randomly oriented fibrous scaffolds of gelatin and poly-L-lactic acid（PLLA） were fabricated by electrospinning.A comparative study of two different systems with corneal stroma cells on randomly organized and aligned fibres were conducted.The efficiency of the scaffolds for inducing the aligned growth of cells was assessed by morphological observation and 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide（MTT） assay.Results show that the cells cultured on both randomly oriented and aligned scaffolds maintained normal morphology and well spreading as well as long term proliferation.Importantly,corneal stroma cells grew high orderly on the aligned scaffold,while the cells grew disordered on the randomly oriented scaffold.Moreover,the cells exhibited higher viability in aligned scaffold than that in randomly oriented scaffold.These results indcate that electrospinng to prepare aligned fibrous scaffolds has provided an effective approach to the aligned growth of corneal stroma cells in vitro.Our findings that fiber arrangement plays a crucial role in guiding the aligned growth of cells may be helpful to the development of better biomaterials for tissue engineered cornea.展开更多
Wound healing remains a critical clinical challenge due to inflammatory responses,oxidative stress in the wound microenvironment,and impaired tissue remodeling.In this study,an anisotropic scaffold was developed by in...Wound healing remains a critical clinical challenge due to inflammatory responses,oxidative stress in the wound microenvironment,and impaired tissue remodeling.In this study,an anisotropic scaffold was developed by integrating photothermal stimulation with topographical cues to modulate wound healing.The scaffold consisted of gelatin methacryloyl(GM)hydrogel and radially aligned poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL)fibers integrated with polydopamine(PDA).The anisotropic scaffold not only exhibited anti-inflammatory effects but also enabled localized thermal stimulation under near-infrared(NIR)light to promote wound healing.It guided cell migration and proliferation from the wound edge toward the center,while the GM hydrogel maintained a moist envi-ronment and mitigated uncontrolled thermal damage.In a full-thickness skin wound model in rats,the aniso-tropic scaffold accelerated wound healing,epidermal regeneration,angiogenesis,and collagen deposition.This approach offers a safe,efficient,and bioactive-factor-free therapeutic strategy for wound repair,showing great potential for clinical translation.展开更多
The topographical features of biomaterials play pivotal roles in modulating bone regeneration by enhancing the osteogenic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)through cytoskeletal-nuclear dyna...The topographical features of biomaterials play pivotal roles in modulating bone regeneration by enhancing the osteogenic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)through cytoskeletal-nuclear dynamics.However,the precise mechanisms underlying the interplay between topography-induced cell morphology modulation and cytoskeletalnuclear responses remain poorly understood.In this study,we fabricated electrospun fiber membranes with distinct aligned and random topographies and observed a significant enhancement in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro on the aligned membranes.RNA sequencing analysis revealed the critical involvement of cytoskeletal reorganization,focal adhesion,and the Rap1 signaling pathway in this process.Specifically,cell elongation driven by the aligned topography activated the p130Cas/Crk/Rap1 pathway,which in turn modulated mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling and cytoskeletal rearrangement.This cytoskeletal remodeling induced nuclear deformation and enhanced the nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein(YAP),synergistically promoting osteogenesis.Finally,in vivo experiments further confirmed the superior bone regeneration capacity of aligned fiber membranes in a rat calvarial defect model.These findings highlight the importance of the topographic features of aligned fibers in regulating cellular and nuclear morphology to enhance bone regeneration,suggesting a novel and effective strategy for tissue engineering applications.展开更多
An electrospinning procedure allowing the spinning of a straight jet of polymer solution was developed.By using proper collector devices,it enables to collect winded and aligned fibers and to prepare polymeric constru...An electrospinning procedure allowing the spinning of a straight jet of polymer solution was developed.By using proper collector devices,it enables to collect winded and aligned fibers and to prepare polymeric constructs developing along the Z axis.The reported results are expected to provide basic understandings on which parameters are controlling the stability/instability of the process and implement new applications of electrospinning with specific reference to the preparation of well defined three-dimensional structures.展开更多
Chronic or non-healing wounds present a significant challenge in daily life,leading to increased interest in the design of wound dressings with enhanced healing capabilities.In this study,a bacterial cellulose(BC)memb...Chronic or non-healing wounds present a significant challenge in daily life,leading to increased interest in the design of wound dressings with enhanced healing capabilities.In this study,a bacterial cellulose(BC)membrane with an aligned structure was developed to guide cell migration and collagen orientation,serving as the primary component of the wound dressing.Polydeoxyribonucleotide(PDRN),a nucleic acid agent known for its excellent tissue-regenerative effect,were loaded into the aligned BC membrane.The obtained composite material(PDRN@BC aligned membrane)demonstrated aligned structure,high hydrophilicity,favorable air permeability,good mechanical properties,and sustained release of PDRN.The as-prepared membrane promoted cell spreading,proliferation and migration of L929 fibroblast in vitro,as well as angiogenesis in ovo.Application of the PDRN@BC aligned membrane in vivo significantly improved and speeded up wound healing by accelerating cell proliferation and migration,reducing inflammation,and facilitating angiogenesis.This innovative composite dressing,combining topographic and bioactive cues,holds promise to facilitate the regeneration of damaged skin tissue.展开更多
Bacterial infections and multidrug-resistant bacteria are major health burdens in wound care.Biocompatible antimicrobial agents,e.g.,ε-polylysine(ε-PL),provide a broad spectrum of antibacterial properties and suppor...Bacterial infections and multidrug-resistant bacteria are major health burdens in wound care.Biocompatible antimicrobial agents,e.g.,ε-polylysine(ε-PL),provide a broad spectrum of antibacterial properties and support dermal cell growth.Here,ε-PL was incorporated into polycaprolactone(PCL)/gelatin electrospun scaffolds collected at varying rotation speeds.Then,the samples were crosslinked using dopamine hydrochloride to provide highly proliferative dressings with broad antimicrobial activity.The morphological study showed that the electrospun wound dressings were smooth,continuous,and bead-free,with a mean diameter ranging from 267±7 to 331±8 nm for all random and aligned nanofibers.The fiber alignment of the electrospun PCL/gelatin scaffolds improved their tensile strength and modulus.Moreover,nanofiber mats are highly hydro-philic,which is crucial for an efficient wound dressing.The samples also demonstrated high antimicrobial properties against common wound bacterial strains,including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),Staphylococcus aureus(SA),Escherichia coli(EC),Acinetobacter baumannii(AB),and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(PA).Mammalian cell prolifera-tion and morphology assays involving primary human dermal fibroblasts(hDFs)and immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT)showed excellent biocompatibility of the electrospun mats and remarkably aligned mats.Furthermore,aligned mats showed more cell migration than randomly oriented mats,which is desirable for more efficient wound healing.Therefore,it can be concluded that aligned PCL/gelatin mats containingε-PL are promising for potential use in wound dressings.展开更多
Tanycytes are stem/progenitor cells that reside in the hypothalamus of the adult vertebrate brain.Tanycytes can be cultured as free-floating neurospheres in vitro but tend to spontaneously differentiate over time.Here...Tanycytes are stem/progenitor cells that reside in the hypothalamus of the adult vertebrate brain.Tanycytes can be cultured as free-floating neurospheres in vitro but tend to spontaneously differentiate over time.Here we asked whether morphological cues provided by engineered polymer scaffolds can modify spontaneous differentiation.Tanycyte-derived neurospheres were cultured on electrospun scaffolds,prepared with either random or aligned fiber morphologies.Cells dispersed widely on the scaffolds,and-on aligned scaffolds-were highly organized,orientated parallel to the fibers.Immunocytochemical analysis showed that cells cultured on aligned scaffolds showed significantly greater expression of the neural stem/progenitor cell marker,NrCAM and reduced expres-sion of differentiated cell markers in comparison to those cultured on random scaffolds.Together this shows that tanycytes respond to local engineered cues,and that a morphologically constrained environment can better main-tain tanycytes as stem cells.The aligned scaffold culture system provides a powerful tool to better investigate this novel stem/progenitor cell population.展开更多
基金Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51478164 and 52079048)the Key Research&Development Plan of Jiangsu Province,China(No.BE2021704)。
文摘Directionally distributed steel fiber cement-based composites(SFCCs)were prepared by magnetic field(MF)induction technology.The orientation factor of steel fibers in the as-obtained SFCCs was determined.Besides,the electrical resistivity and piezoresistive responses in two directions of aligned steel fiber cement-based composites,i e,parallel and perpendicular to MF,were measured.The effects of several variables,eg,steel fiber content,curing age,humidity,and temperature,on anisotropic electrical property were studied.The cyclic and failure piezoresistive responses in different directions were tested.It is found that the aligned steel fibers in the as-obtained SFCCs have a high orientation factor more than 0.88.Besides,SFCCs with aligned steel fibers exhibit an obvious anisotropic conductivity and piezoelectric sensitivity.The electrical conductivity of SFCCs with aligned steel fibers is less affected by temperature and humidity.At the steel fiber content of 2.5wt%,the piezoelectric sensitivity coefficient of SFCCs in the direction parallel to MF has the highest value of 324.14.In addition,the piezoresistive properties of SFCCs with aligned steel fibers in the direction parallel to MF indicate excellent sensitivity and stability under cyclic loading and monotonic loading.
基金This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.2232019G-06 and 2232019A3-06)111 project(No.PB0719035)+1 种基金The authors at University of Wisconsin-Madison would like to acknowledge the partial support by the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery(WID),the NHLBI of the National Institutes of Health(No.U01HL134655)the Kuo K.and Cindy F.Wang Professorship.Chenglong Yu also acknowledged the fellowship from the China Scholarship Council(CSC)under the Grant CSC No.201906630070.
文摘Rapid formation of a continuous endothelial cell(EC)monolayer with healthy endothelium function on the luminal surface of vascular implants is imperative to improve the longtime patency of small-diameter vascular implants.In the present study,we combined the contact guidance effects of aligned nanofibers,which enhance EC adhesion and proliferation because of its similar fiber scale with native vascular basement membranes,and aligned microfibers,which could induce EC elongation effectively and allow ECs infiltration.It was followed by successive immobilization of collagen IV and laminin to fabricate a biomimetic basement membrane(BBM)with structural and compositional biomimicry.The hemolysis assay and platelet adhesion results showed that the BBM exhibited excellent hemocompatibility.Meanwhile,the adhered human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)onto theBBMaligned along the orientation of the microfibers with an elongated morphology,and the data demonstrated that the BBM showed favorable effects on EC attachment,proliferation,and viability.The oriented EC monolayer formed on the BBM exhibited improved antithrombotic capability as indicated by higher production of nitric oxide and prostacyclin(PGI2).Furthermore,fluorescence images indicated that HUVECs could infiltrate into the BBM,implying theBBM’s ability to enhance transmural endothelialization.Hence,theBBMpossessed the properties to regulate ECbehaviors and allow transmural ingrowth,demonstrating the potential to be applied as the luminal surface of small-diameter vascular implants for rapid endothelialization.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82202718the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing,No.L212050the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation,Nos.2019M664007,2021T140793(all to ZL)。
文摘Autografting is the gold standard for surgical repair of nerve defects>5 mm in length;however,autografting is associated with potential complications at the nerve donor site.As an alternative,nerve guidance conduits may be used.The ideal conduit should be flexible,resistant to kinks and lumen collapse,and provide physical cues to guide nerve regeneration.We designed a novel flexible conduit using electrospinning technology to create fibers on the innermost surface of the nerve guidance conduit and employed melt spinning to align them.Subsequently,we prepared disordered electrospun fibers outside the aligned fibers and helical melt-spun fibers on the outer wall of the electrospun fiber lumen.The presence of aligned fibers on the inner surface can promote the extension of nerve cells along the fibers.The helical melt-spun fibers on the outer surface can enhance resistance to kinking and compression and provide stability.Our novel conduit promoted nerve regeneration and functional recovery in a rat sciatic nerve defect model,suggesting that it has potential for clinical use in human nerve injuries.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.50673032)the Graduate Student Innovation Foundation of Jilin University,China(No.20111035)
文摘To investigate the contribution of fibre arrangement to guiding the aligned growth of corneal stroma cells,aligned and randomly oriented fibrous scaffolds of gelatin and poly-L-lactic acid（PLLA） were fabricated by electrospinning.A comparative study of two different systems with corneal stroma cells on randomly organized and aligned fibres were conducted.The efficiency of the scaffolds for inducing the aligned growth of cells was assessed by morphological observation and 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide（MTT） assay.Results show that the cells cultured on both randomly oriented and aligned scaffolds maintained normal morphology and well spreading as well as long term proliferation.Importantly,corneal stroma cells grew high orderly on the aligned scaffold,while the cells grew disordered on the randomly oriented scaffold.Moreover,the cells exhibited higher viability in aligned scaffold than that in randomly oriented scaffold.These results indcate that electrospinng to prepare aligned fibrous scaffolds has provided an effective approach to the aligned growth of corneal stroma cells in vitro.Our findings that fiber arrangement plays a crucial role in guiding the aligned growth of cells may be helpful to the development of better biomaterials for tissue engineered cornea.
基金funded by National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFC2408200 and 2022YFC3006204)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52221006,52473121,82302793 and 52403370)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(buctrc202020,buctrc202312).
文摘Wound healing remains a critical clinical challenge due to inflammatory responses,oxidative stress in the wound microenvironment,and impaired tissue remodeling.In this study,an anisotropic scaffold was developed by integrating photothermal stimulation with topographical cues to modulate wound healing.The scaffold consisted of gelatin methacryloyl(GM)hydrogel and radially aligned poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL)fibers integrated with polydopamine(PDA).The anisotropic scaffold not only exhibited anti-inflammatory effects but also enabled localized thermal stimulation under near-infrared(NIR)light to promote wound healing.It guided cell migration and proliferation from the wound edge toward the center,while the GM hydrogel maintained a moist envi-ronment and mitigated uncontrolled thermal damage.In a full-thickness skin wound model in rats,the aniso-tropic scaffold accelerated wound healing,epidermal regeneration,angiogenesis,and collagen deposition.This approach offers a safe,efficient,and bioactive-factor-free therapeutic strategy for wound repair,showing great potential for clinical translation.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271379,W2412121)Shanghai's Top Priority Research Center(2022ZZ01017)Research Project of Xuzhou Municipal Health Commission(XWKYHT20230077).
文摘The topographical features of biomaterials play pivotal roles in modulating bone regeneration by enhancing the osteogenic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)through cytoskeletal-nuclear dynamics.However,the precise mechanisms underlying the interplay between topography-induced cell morphology modulation and cytoskeletalnuclear responses remain poorly understood.In this study,we fabricated electrospun fiber membranes with distinct aligned and random topographies and observed a significant enhancement in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in vitro on the aligned membranes.RNA sequencing analysis revealed the critical involvement of cytoskeletal reorganization,focal adhesion,and the Rap1 signaling pathway in this process.Specifically,cell elongation driven by the aligned topography activated the p130Cas/Crk/Rap1 pathway,which in turn modulated mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling and cytoskeletal rearrangement.This cytoskeletal remodeling induced nuclear deformation and enhanced the nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein(YAP),synergistically promoting osteogenesis.Finally,in vivo experiments further confirmed the superior bone regeneration capacity of aligned fiber membranes in a rat calvarial defect model.These findings highlight the importance of the topographic features of aligned fibers in regulating cellular and nuclear morphology to enhance bone regeneration,suggesting a novel and effective strategy for tissue engineering applications.
基金the framework of the FP6 EC-fundedNoE project“EXPERTISSUES”NMP3-CT-2004-500283the Italian FIRB Internazionale 2004 project prot.RBIN043BCP.
文摘An electrospinning procedure allowing the spinning of a straight jet of polymer solution was developed.By using proper collector devices,it enables to collect winded and aligned fibers and to prepare polymeric constructs developing along the Z axis.The reported results are expected to provide basic understandings on which parameters are controlling the stability/instability of the process and implement new applications of electrospinning with specific reference to the preparation of well defined three-dimensional structures.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51502265 and 82372135).
文摘Chronic or non-healing wounds present a significant challenge in daily life,leading to increased interest in the design of wound dressings with enhanced healing capabilities.In this study,a bacterial cellulose(BC)membrane with an aligned structure was developed to guide cell migration and collagen orientation,serving as the primary component of the wound dressing.Polydeoxyribonucleotide(PDRN),a nucleic acid agent known for its excellent tissue-regenerative effect,were loaded into the aligned BC membrane.The obtained composite material(PDRN@BC aligned membrane)demonstrated aligned structure,high hydrophilicity,favorable air permeability,good mechanical properties,and sustained release of PDRN.The as-prepared membrane promoted cell spreading,proliferation and migration of L929 fibroblast in vitro,as well as angiogenesis in ovo.Application of the PDRN@BC aligned membrane in vivo significantly improved and speeded up wound healing by accelerating cell proliferation and migration,reducing inflammation,and facilitating angiogenesis.This innovative composite dressing,combining topographic and bioactive cues,holds promise to facilitate the regeneration of damaged skin tissue.
基金support from the Singapore International Graduate Award(SINGA).R.L.thanks funding support from the Duke-NUS Khoo Bridge Funding Award(Duke-NUS-KBrFA/2021/0044)N.K.V.acknowledges funding support from the Singapore Ministry of Education(MOE)under its MOE Academic Research Fund(AcRF)Tier 1 Grant(RG26/20)the Agency for Science,Technology and Research(A*STAR)under its Wound Care Innovation for the Tropics(WCIT)Industry Alignment Fund Pre-Positioning(IAF-PP)Grant(H17/01/a0/0K9)。
文摘Bacterial infections and multidrug-resistant bacteria are major health burdens in wound care.Biocompatible antimicrobial agents,e.g.,ε-polylysine(ε-PL),provide a broad spectrum of antibacterial properties and support dermal cell growth.Here,ε-PL was incorporated into polycaprolactone(PCL)/gelatin electrospun scaffolds collected at varying rotation speeds.Then,the samples were crosslinked using dopamine hydrochloride to provide highly proliferative dressings with broad antimicrobial activity.The morphological study showed that the electrospun wound dressings were smooth,continuous,and bead-free,with a mean diameter ranging from 267±7 to 331±8 nm for all random and aligned nanofibers.The fiber alignment of the electrospun PCL/gelatin scaffolds improved their tensile strength and modulus.Moreover,nanofiber mats are highly hydro-philic,which is crucial for an efficient wound dressing.The samples also demonstrated high antimicrobial properties against common wound bacterial strains,including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),Staphylococcus aureus(SA),Escherichia coli(EC),Acinetobacter baumannii(AB),and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(PA).Mammalian cell prolifera-tion and morphology assays involving primary human dermal fibroblasts(hDFs)and immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT)showed excellent biocompatibility of the electrospun mats and remarkably aligned mats.Furthermore,aligned mats showed more cell migration than randomly oriented mats,which is desirable for more efficient wound healing.Therefore,it can be concluded that aligned PCL/gelatin mats containingε-PL are promising for potential use in wound dressings.
文摘Tanycytes are stem/progenitor cells that reside in the hypothalamus of the adult vertebrate brain.Tanycytes can be cultured as free-floating neurospheres in vitro but tend to spontaneously differentiate over time.Here we asked whether morphological cues provided by engineered polymer scaffolds can modify spontaneous differentiation.Tanycyte-derived neurospheres were cultured on electrospun scaffolds,prepared with either random or aligned fiber morphologies.Cells dispersed widely on the scaffolds,and-on aligned scaffolds-were highly organized,orientated parallel to the fibers.Immunocytochemical analysis showed that cells cultured on aligned scaffolds showed significantly greater expression of the neural stem/progenitor cell marker,NrCAM and reduced expres-sion of differentiated cell markers in comparison to those cultured on random scaffolds.Together this shows that tanycytes respond to local engineered cues,and that a morphologically constrained environment can better main-tain tanycytes as stem cells.The aligned scaffold culture system provides a powerful tool to better investigate this novel stem/progenitor cell population.
