Chitosan Scaffolds as Microcarriers for Dynamic Culture of Human Neural Stem Cells

Human neural stem cells (hNSCs) possess remarkable potential for regenerative medicine in the treatment of presently incurable diseases. However, a key challenge lies in producing sufficient quantities of hNSCs, which is necessary for effective treatment. Dynamic culture systems are recognized as a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pharmaceutics 2023-07, Vol.15 (7), p.1957
Main Authors: Ando, Yoshiki, Chang, Fei-Chien, James, Matthew, Zhou, Yang, Zhang, Miqin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alzheimer's disease
bioreactor
Cell adhesion & migration
Cell culture
Cellulose
chitosan
Collagen
Crustaceans
dynamic culture
human neural stem cells
Mechanical properties
Polymers
Porous materials
scaffolds
Shear stress
Stem cells
Surface chemistry
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Summary:Human neural stem cells (hNSCs) possess remarkable potential for regenerative medicine in the treatment of presently incurable diseases. However, a key challenge lies in producing sufficient quantities of hNSCs, which is necessary for effective treatment. Dynamic culture systems are recognized as a powerful approach to producing large quantities of hNSCs required, where microcarriers play a critical role in supporting cell expansion. Nevertheless, the currently available microcarriers have limitations, including a lack of appropriate surface chemistry to promote cell adhesion, inadequate mechanical properties to protect cells from dynamic forces, and poor suitability for mass production. Here, we present the development of three-dimensional (3D) chitosan scaffolds as microcarriers for hNSC expansion under defined conditions in bioreactors. We demonstrate that chitosan scaffolds with a concentration of 4 wt% (4CS scaffolds) exhibit desirable microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties suited for hNSC expansion. Furthermore, they could also withstand degradation in dynamic conditions. The 4CS scaffold condition yields optimal metabolic activity, cell adhesion, and protein expression, enabling sustained hNSC expansion for up to three weeks in a dynamic culture. Our study introduces an effective microcarrier approach for prolonged expansion of hNSCs, which has the potential for mass production in a three-dimensional setting.
ISSN:1999-4923
1999-4923
DOI:10.3390/pharmaceutics15071957