Modification of the alginate hydrogel with fibroblast- and Schwann cell-derived extracellular matrix potentiates differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells toward neuron-like cells

The loss of neurons is one of the most irreversible phenomena in traumatic injuries to the central nervous system (CNS). One of the recent approaches to replace the lost neurons is delivering stem cells to the lesion area and differentiating them using biodegradable scaffolds. Alginate has been known as an efficient hydrogel for this target. However, its bioactivity needs to be improved to promote cell adhesion/differentiation. In this study, alginate hydrogel was synthesized and optimized regarding mechanical properties of the CNS, and its bioactivity was improved using Schwann cell- and fibroblast-derived extracellular matrix (ECM). The results of immunostaining showed higher differentiation efficacy on ECM-modified hydrogels than controls. Although secreted protein content by fibroblast was 12.01 +/- 2.09 folds higher than Schwann cells, no significant difference was observed between the differentiation potential of ECM-modified hydrogels. Accordingly, both ECM-modified hydrogels can be an appropriate scaffold to promote differentiation toward neuron-like cells and, subsequently, nerve regeneration.