title: Porous membrane substrates offer better niches to enhance the Wnt signaling and promote human embryonic stem cell growth and differentiation.
abstract: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) require specific niches for adhesion, expansion, and lineage-specific differentiation. In this study, we showed that a membrane substrate offers better tissue niches for hESC attachment, spreading, proliferation, and differentiation. The cell doubling time was shortened from 46.3±5.7 h for hESCs grown on solid substrates to 25.6±2.6 h for those on polyester (PE) membrane substrates with pore size of 0.4 μm. In addition, we observed an increase of approximately five- to ninefold of definitive endoderm marker gene expression in hESCs differentiated on PE or polyethylene terephthalate membrane substrates. Global gene expression analysis revealed upregulated expressions of a number of extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules in hESCs grown on membrane substrates. Further, an enhanced nuclear translocation of β-catenin was detected in these cells. These observations suggested the augmentation of Wnt signaling in hESCs grown on membrane substrates. These results also demonstrated that a membrane substrate can offer better physicochemical cues for enhancing in vitro hESC attachment, proliferation, and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Program, College of Engineering, University of Arkansas, 700 Research Center Blvd., Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA. sjin@uark.edu
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Huantong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Pantrika
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krisanarungson
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haukas
authors.forename: Kaiming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004707:Endoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016062:Porosity; D055153:Stem Cell Niche / Q000187:drug effects*; D013499:Surface Properties; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D011091:Polyesters; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D051176:beta Catenin