Regulation of the osteogenesis of pre-osteoblasts by spatial arrangement of electrospun nanofibers in two- and three-dimensional environments

Xuening Chen, Xiaoling Fu, Jian gang Shi, Hongjun Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

Orientation of extracellular matrix (ECM) fibrils contributes to the anisotropy of bones, but little is known about how fibril orientation induces osteoblastic responses. Here, biomimetic polycaprolactone/type I collagen (PCL/COL-1) nanofibers with aligned and random fiber arrangements were used as models to study their effects on pre-osteoblasts. Elongated cell morphology, accelerated cell migration, elevated alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content, up-regulated expression of osteogenic markers and differential expression of integrins were observed for cells cultured on two-dimensional (2D) aligned nanofibers. To emulate in vivo tissue structure, three-dimensional (3D) cell/nanofiber constructs with cells embedded among nanofiber layers were built via layer-by-layer assembly. These showed that aligned nanofibers in the 3D constructs continuously induced cell polarization and promoted osteogenesis. These findings revealed that nanofiber alignment favored osteogenic differentiation of pre-osteoblasts, and demonstrated the potential of 3D cell/nanofiber construct as a model to study specific cell-material interactions in a physiologically relevant environment. From the Clinical Editor: In this novel study, biomimetic polycaprolactone/type I collagen nanofibers with aligned and random fiber arrangements were used to demonstrate their effects on pre-osteoblasts with an overall goal of improved orientation of extracellular matrix fibrils to optimize osteoblastic responses and improve osteogenesis for future therapeutic exploitation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1283-1292
Number of pages10
JournalNanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine
Volume9
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2013

Keywords

  • 3D culture
  • Electrospun nanofibers
  • Fiber orientation
  • Osteogenesis
  • Pre-osteoblasts

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