Carbon Fibers as a New Type of Scaffold for Midbrain Organoid Development

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2020-08, Vol.21 (17), p.5959
• Main Authors: Tejchman, Anna, Znój, Agnieszka, Chlebanowska, Paula, Frączek-Szczypta, Aneta, Majka, Marcin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D model; Acrylic Resins - chemistry; Brain research; Carbon Fiber - chemistry; Carbon fibers; Cell culture; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Contact angle; Copolymers; Differentiation (biology); Dopamine receptors; Dopaminergic Neurons - cytology; Dopaminergic Neurons - metabolism; Fibers; Gene expression; Glycolic acid; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Hydroxylase; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells - metabolism; Mesencephalon; Mesencephalon - cytology; Morphology; Necrosis; Neurons; NURR1; organoid; Organoids; Organoids - cytology; Organoids - metabolism; Organs; Parkinson's disease; Physicochemical properties; Pluripotency; Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer - chemistry; Polylactide-co-glycolide; Pore size; Porosity; scaffold; Scaffolds; Stem cells; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - adverse effects; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Tyrosine; Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - genetics; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase - metabolism
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21175959

The combination of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology and 3D cell culture creates a unique possibility for the generation of organoids that mimic human organs in in vitro cultures. The use of iPS cells in organoid cultures enables the differentiation of cells into dopaminergic neurons, also found in the human midbrain. However, long-lasting organoid cultures often cause necrosis within organoids. In this work, we present carbon fibers (CFs) for medical use as a new type of scaffold for organoid culture, comparing them to a previously tested copolymer poly-(lactic- -glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold. We verified the physicochemical properties of CF scaffolds compared to PLGA in improving the efficiency of iPSC differentiation within organoids. The physicochemical properties of carbon scaffolds such as porosity, microstructure, or stability in the cellular environment make them a convenient material for creating in vitro organoid models. Through screening several genes expressed during the differentiation of organoids at crucial brain stages of development, we found that there is a correlation between , one of the key regulators of terminal differentiation, and the survival of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons and tyrosine hydroxylase ( ) gene expression. This makes organoids formed on carbon scaffolds an improved model containing mDA neurons convenient for studying midbrain-associated neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.