TThe dance of development is electrical. Bioelectric gradients Choreograph The developing embryo tells stem cells what cell type to become, where to move, who their neighbors should be, and what structures to form.1 The strength and location of these signals act as electrical scaffolding to delineate anatomical features and guide development. Bioelectricity also shapes tissues. reproduction.2 Exploiting these mechanisms is of particular interest to researchers addressing challenges such as: Regeneration of damaged nerves.3
An interesting research team from Stanford University and the University of Arizona recently developed an electrically Conductive Hydrogel In vitro differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into neurons and oligodendrocytes.4 The results of their research are Journal of Materials Chemistry Bprovides important proof of principle for future research into biocompatible materials that electrically enhance transplanted or endogenous cells following injury.
Paul George is a physician-scientist at Stanford University.
Stanford University School of Medicine
“In our lab, we use a variety of polymers to interact with the nervous system, and we think there is a window after injury that is likely to reflect development.” Paul George“So much of development is guided by gradients and electric fields, so we set out to create a hydrogel that could have gradients like those found in the developing body and direct stem cells to differentiate in a certain way or form certain structures,” said , a physician-scientist at Stanford University and co-author of the study.
Hydrogels are a popular biocompatible material for tissue engineers looking to mimic a cell’s native environment. They can hold large amounts of water, have control over their stiffness and three-dimensional properties, and can be loaded with conductive fillers. “They have a lot of great potential applications in regenerative medicine, in vitro modeling, and potentially biomanufacturing,” he says. Nisha Iyer“The idea that we can use electric fields and 3D mechanical properties to influence stem cells without using all kinds of biomolecules and expensive growth factors to drive differentiation is really exciting,” said Dr. S. Schneider, a biomedical engineer at Tufts University who was not involved in the research.
George and his team identified specific differentiation patterns depending on whether the stem cells were closer to a uniform or changing electric field. Cells in the center of the hydrogel differentiated into the oligodendrocyte lineage in response to a constant electric field, while cells on the periphery tended to differentiate into neurons in response to a lower-intensity, changing electric field. George’s work is unique because most in vitro studies on bioelectricity for nerve regeneration focus on static fields rather than gradients. Spatial control of the electric gradient mimics gradients seen during development and may aid nerve regeneration after stem cell transplantation in future studies.
“This is a great proof-of-principle study. I think there’s still quite a bit of work to be done before we can actually use this in the lab,” Iyer said. Though preliminary, the study marks an important first step toward future transplant studies of stem cells and conductive gradient hydrogels that could interact with damaged nervous systems and improve recovery. “This platform was our first attempt to try to control those gradients and understand the developmental cues a little better,” George said. “There’s a lot we still don’t know. If we could turn back the clock a little bit, maybe we could help patients recover a little better from peripheral nerve injury or stroke.”
References
1. Levin M, Stevenson CG. Controlling cell behavior and tissue patterning through bioelectrical signals: challenges and opportunities for biomedical engineering. Anne Lev Biomedical Engineering2012;14:295-323.
2. Matthews J, Levin M. Bodyelectrics 2.0: Recent advances in developmental bioelectricity for regenerative and synthetic bioengineering. Curr Opin Biotechnol opinion. 2018;52:134-144.
3. Oh B et al. Inducing neural stem cell differentiation by adjusting the electrical and mechanical microenvironment. Advanced Science.2021;8(7):2002112.
4. Song S et al. Conductive gradient hydrogels can spatially control the fate of adult stem cells. J Materials Chemistry B2024;12(7):1854-1863.
