title: Polypyrrole/Alginate Hybrid Hydrogels: Electrically Conductive and Soft Biomaterials for Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Culture and Potential Neural Tissue Engineering Applications.
abstract: Electrically conductive biomaterials that can efficiently deliver electrical signals to cells or improve electrical communication among cells have received considerable attention for potential tissue engineering applications. Conductive hydrogels are desirable particularly for neural applications, as they can provide electrical signals and soft microenvironments that can mimic native nerve tissues. In this study, conductive and soft polypyrrole/alginate (PPy/Alg) hydrogels are developed by chemically polymerizing PPy within ionically cross-linked alginate hydrogel networks. The synthesized hydrogels exhibit a Young's modulus of 20-200 kPa. Electrical conductance of the PPy/Alg hydrogels could be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude compared to that of pristine alginate hydrogels. In vitro studies with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) reveal that cell adhesion and growth are promoted on the PPy/Alg hydrogels. Additionally, the PPy/Alg hydrogels support and greatly enhance the expression of neural differentiation markers (i.e., Tuj1 and MAP2) of hMSCs compared to tissue culture plate controls. Subcutaneous implantation of the hydrogels for eight weeks induces mild inflammatory reactions. These soft and conductive hydrogels will serve as a useful platform to study the effects of electrical and mechanical signals on stem cells and/or neural cells and to develop multifunctional neural tissue engineering scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Engineering (GIST), Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Engineering (GIST), Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: LindyK
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Engineering (GIST), Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Semin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Engineering (GIST), Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jongcheol
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kisuk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Engineering (GIST), Gwangju, 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D011108:Polymers; D011758:Pyrroles; C067635:polypyrrole; D020723:Glucuronic Acid
keywords: alginate; hydrogel; mesenchymal stem cells; neural tissue engineering; polypyrrole