Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on electroactive substrates

This study investigates the effect of electroactivity and electrical charge distribution on the biological response of human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) cultured in monolayer on flat poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, substrates. Differences in cell behaviour, including proliferation, expression of multipotency markers CD90, CD105 and CD73, and expression of genes characteristic of different mesenchymal lineages, were observed both during expansion in basal medium before reaching confluence and in confluent cultures in osteogenic induction medium. The crystallisation of PVDF in the electrically neutral alpha-phase or in the electroactive phase beta, both unpoled and poled, has been found to have an important influence on the biological response. In addition, the presence of a permanent positive or negative surface electrical charge distribution in phase beta substrates has also shown a significant effect on cell behaviour.