A Comparative Investigation of Nanofiber- and Cryogel-Based Scaffolds for Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Different Tissues

Biotechnology studies for the regeneration of degenerated tissues have been promising for decades. In order to advance these studies and contribute to such studies in the field of regenerative medicine, we focused on evaluating the effects of surface topography, including 3D-structural features, chemical composition, the viability of stem cells, and attachment on the scaffold surface as functional scaffolds, and their surfaces were modified with two amino acids (L-lysine and L-glutamic acid). In this respect, polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers are synthesized using the electrospinning method, and methacrylate (MA)-based cryogels were synthesized with the cryogelation method. The physical structure of chemical properties of scaffolds in terms of porosity was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed homogeneous favorable porosity in cryogel scaffolds with an average diameter of 62 mu m. The aim of this study was to investigate the behaviors of three different stem cells (MSCs originating from bone marrow, skin, and adipose tissue of rats) using two different cell scaffolds having different structural features and three different surface chemistries. To visualize the attachment of the mesenchymal stem cells on scaffolds, analyzed with SEM and DAPI staining, which showed a pattern of cellular attachment that indicated porous structures through SEM; cells attached to all scaffolds and surface modifications successfully except for non-modified scaffolds with all cell types. Cell viability was assessed with the MTT assay, which yielded no significant toxicity against the cells, with cell viability having an average optical density (OD) of 0.29 at 570 nm for all cell types (p < 0.05). Then, to determine the induced differentiation of each MSC group from different origins, validated the stem cells used flow cytometry characterization and different respective stainings. Flow cytometry results of positive markers CD90 and CD44 showed more than 99% of the cells, while negative markers represented only 2 to 7% of the cells in the culturing medium. In light of the results, topography structures and surface modification of scaffolds have promising potential for the selection of the appropriate cell type and attachment surface with respect to stem cell types, which would shed light on studies in the regeneration of tissue damage.