Nanotube diameter directs stem cell fate

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JSRM/Vol2 No.1, 2007; p168

Proceedings of German Society for Stem Cell Research (PGSSCR) Nanotube diameter directs stem cell fate Park J, Bauer S, Schmuki P, Schlegel K, Neukam F, von der Mark K,

_____________________________________________________________________ Erlangen-Nuremberg University, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Zentrum, Glueckstr. 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany Published online on 16 May 2007

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We generated, on titanium surfaces, selfassembled layers of vertically orientated TiO2 nanotubes with defined diameters between 15 and 100 nm and show that adhesion, spreading, growth and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells are critically dependent on the tube diameter. A spacing less than 30 nm with a maximum at 15 nm provided an effective length scale for accelerated integrin clustering / focal contact formation and strongly enhances cellular activities compared to smooth TiO2 surfaces. Cell adhesion and spreading were severely impaired on nanotube layers with a tube diameter larger than 50 nm, resulting in dramatically reduced cellular activity and a high extent of programmed cell death. Thus, mesenchymal stem cells seems to be very sensitive to nano-scale microenvironment such as a lateral spacing geometry representing 3050 nm of nanotube diameter as a critical borderline for cell fate.

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Copyright © Journal of Stem cells and Regenerative medicine. All rights reserved JSRM/002010700123/May16, 2007. JSRM/Vol2 No.1, 2007; p168

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