Assessment of bacterial cellulose nanostructure as a 3-D scaffold for neural tissue engineering
Assessment of bacterial cellulose nanostructure as a 3-D scaffold for neural tissue engineering
Mina Namdarpour,1,*Atefe Alipour,2Mehdi Jahanfar,3Naser Farokhi,4Hossein Shahsavarani,5
1. 1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran 2. Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine and Biomedical Innovations, Pasteur Institute of Iran, National Cell Bank, Tehran *Correspondence: hosein.shahsavarani@gmail. 2. Department of Nanobiotechmology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran 3. 1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran 4. 1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran 5. 1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran 2. Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine and Biomedical Innovations, National Cell Bank, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran
Introduction: Almost neural tissue engineering approaches suffer from functional biomaterials capable of supporting nerve cell regeneration and growth. Developing a nanostructured scaffold able to mimick niche of nervous system have been suggested as a promising candidate. Exploiting bacterial cellulose (BC) has recently absorbed high attention, mainly due to its excellent biocompatibility, mechanical strength, and fibrous structure. In this study, we investigated characteristics of cellulosic scaffold derived from Pseudomonas species, which is gaining attention for its ability to be synthesized under controlled conditions and its potential to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM).
Methods: Following the bacterial culture, cellulose collection, and decellularization, the scaffold's physicochemical properties were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for surface morphology, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for chemical analysis, and hydrophilicity and biodegradability tests. Additionally, cell viability, proliferation, adhesion, and neural cell morphology were evaluated.
Results: The bacterial cellulose scaffold exhibited a well-organized fibrous structure resembling the extracellular matrix. MTT assays indicated no significant cytotoxicity, confirming the scaffold's biocompatibility. DAPI staining and SEM analysis revealed excellent cell adhesion and morphology, with neural cells demonstrating uniform growth and spreading across the scaffold. These findings suggest that bacterial cellulose provides an ideal environment for neural cell proliferation and viability.
Conclusion: Data presented here demonstrated that decellularized bacterial cellulose nanofibrous structure effectively supports neural cell attachment and growth, with no observed cytotoxic effects. These results indicate that obtained nanostructured cellulosic matrics have great potential for further development in neural regeneration and broader tissue engineering applications.