Perfusion culture enhances osteogenic differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells in collagen sponge reinforced with poly( glycolic acid) fiber

The objective of this study was to obtain fundamental knowledge about in vitro culture systems to enhance the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells ( MSCs) in collagen sponge reinforced by the incorporation of poly( glycolic acid) ( PGA) fiber. A collagen solution with PGA fiber homogeneously localized at PGA: collagen weight ratios of 0.67, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 was freeze-dried, followed by cross-linking of combined dehydrothermal, glutaraldehyde, and ultraviolet treatment. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that collagen sponges exhibited homogeneous and interconnected pore structures with an average size of 180 mu m, irrespective of PGA fiber incorporation. When rat MSCs were seeded into collagen sponge with or without PGA fiber incorporation, more attached cells were observed in collagen sponge incorporating PGA fiber than in collagen sponge without PGA fiber incorporation, irrespective of the PGA:collagen ratio. The proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in PGA-reinforced sponge at a weight ratio of 5 were greatly influenced by the culture method and growth conditions. Alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) activity and osteocalcin content of MSCs cultured in PGA-reinforced sponge by the perfusion method became maximum at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, although they increased with culture time period. It may be concluded that appropriate perfusion conditions enable MSCs to positively improve the extent of proliferation and differentiation.