Harnessing nanofiber alignment and pore size to promote stem cell self-renewal and differentiation

Stem cell therapy holds immense potential for regenerative medicine, but its applications are limited due to the loss of pluripotency during in vitro expansion. One promising approach to regulate stem cells is through nanotopographies, such as nanofibers. This study reveals that the arrangement of electrospun fibers aligns with the distribution and strength of the electric field through both experimentation and simulation. An electrospinning collector is thus designed to produce nanofibrous membranes with defined alignment and pore size. The cell study shows that randomly oriented nanofibers with small pores promote self-renewal and adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Conversely, aligned mesh membrane, particularly those with medium pores, decreases cell proliferation, stemness, and differentiation potential by elongating the cells. Furthermore, our study suggests that stem cell behavior is sensitive to the nanofiber structure, which offers a potential direction in promoting stem cell expansion efficacy.