Human mesenchymal stem cell response to poly(ε-caprolactone/poly(methyl methacrylate) demixed thin films.

Advances in material sciences have enabled the fabrication of biomaterials which are able to provide the requisite cues to stimulate cells to behave in a specific way. Nanoscale surface topographies are well known to be able to positively influence cell-substrate interactions. This study reports on a novel series of poly(ε-caprolactone) PCL and poly(methyl methacrylate) demixed nanotopographic films as non-biological cell-stimulating cues. The topographic features observed ranged from nanoislands to nanopits. PMMA was observed to segregate to the air interface, while PCL preferred the substrate interface. Preliminary response of human mesenchymal stem cells to these surfaces indicated that the substrate with nanoisland topography has the potential to differentiate to osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages.