Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sci Rep. 2018 Aug 27;8(1):12913. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-30854-3.
While biophysical stimuli from polymeric matrices are known to significantly affect the fates of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), the stimulatory effects of nano-sized silicon-based matrices on hMSCs have not been thoroughly investigated. We previously demonstrated that vertically aligned, single-crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) can control the osteogenicity of hMSCs via controllable spring constants from SiNWs matrix. However, other possible differentiation fates of hMSCs on SiNWs have not been explored. We hypothesize that tunable spring constant from artificial SiNWs matrices can direct different types of hMSC differentiations. The spring constants of tunable SiNW matrices can be consistently controlled by tuning the SiNW length. The results of gene expression and cell stiffness suggest that hMSCs differentiations are sensitive to our distinguishable spring constants from the SiNWs groups, and simultaneously conduct osteogenicity and adipogenicity. These findings suggest that SiNW matrices can regulate the fates of hMSCs when the SiNW characteristics are carefully tuned.
虽然已知聚合物基质的生物物理刺激会显著影响人骨髓间充质干细胞（hMSCs）的命运，但纳米级硅基基质对 hMSCs 的刺激作用尚未得到彻底研究。我们之前的研究表明，垂直排列的单晶硅纳米线（SiNWs）可以通过 SiNW 基质的可控弹性常数来控制 hMSCs 的成骨特性。然而，hMSCs 在 SiNWs 上的其他可能分化命运尚未得到探索。我们假设，人工 SiNW 基质的可调弹性常数可以指导 hMSC 的不同类型分化。通过调整 SiNW 的长度，可以一致地控制可调 SiNW 基质的弹性常数。基因表达和细胞硬度的结果表明，hMSCs 的分化对我们从 SiNW 组中可区分的弹性常数敏感，并且同时进行成骨和脂肪生成。这些发现表明，当仔细调整 SiNW 的特性时，SiNW 基质可以调节 hMSCs 的命运。
