The Effect of Nanofiber Size and Orientation on Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Nuclear Lamina Composition
Open Access
- Author:
- Riggio, Abby
- Area of Honors:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Justin Lee Brown, Thesis Supervisor
Justin Lee Brown, Thesis Honors Advisor
Daniel J Hayes, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- hMSCs
Nuclear Lamina
Phosphorylation
Stem Cell Engineering
PMMA
Nanofibers - Abstract:
- The field of tissue engineering seeks to apply stem cells to biocompatible scaffolds that allow for cell division and proliferation. Many characteristics and mechanical attributes of cells allow for successful division, especially the nuclear lamina, a fibrous network housed in the nucleus of a cell. Nuclear lamina regulate cellular division and provide mechanical support of cells. This is an imperative role in the realm of tissue engineering as laminas sense and respond to the specific mechanical properties of scaffolds such as elasticity and rigidity. Different scaffold size, orientation, or overall material compositions promote varying degrees of cellular adherence, division, and differentiation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were applied to two different biocompatible nanofibers made of PMMA, a polymer, and one flat control surface. Primary and secondary antibodies were used as biomarkers for phosphorylated lamins within the nuclei and cytoplasm of the cells. Microscopy was then used to view immunostained phosphorylated stem cells on the different scaffolds to assess ideal scaffold conditions. CellProfiler was used to quantify the phosphorylated lamins of the applied stem cells. Phosphorylation within the lamins of the stem cells may imply successful proliferation on the scaffold as ongoing research shows nuclear lamina phosphorylation occurs at the onset of cellular division. It also may imply inhibition or promotion of cellular motility. The average cell and nuclei intensities varied greatly between the two fiber surfaces and the control surface within this study. The presence or absence of phosphorylated lamina as well as cellular and nuclei morphology can be used in a wide variety of applications in molecular research and in clinical settings.