Fig. 1.

Factors affecting stem cell behavior on nanofibers

Cells with osteogenic tendency are more spindle-shaped. (a) The stiffness of environment affects cell fate. A stiff matrix (below) leads to more osteogenesis compared with a soft matrix (up). (b) The alignment of nanofibers affects cell fate. Stem cells cultured on aligned nanofibers are consistent with the direction of the fibers and have better osteogenesis (below) compared with random nanofibers (up). (c) The hierarchical structure of nanofibrous scaffolds affects cell adhesion and differentiation. Compared with simple scaffolds (up), scaffolds with nanofibers aligned differently on each layer mimic natural tissue better, leading to improved osteogenesis by cells (below). (d) Pore volume in nanofibrous scaffolds affects cell adhesion and growth. Compared with cells growing in overlarge pores (up), cells have better adhesion and interconnectivity when the pore size fits the cell size (below). (e) Functional additives aid cell growth. Scaffolds combined with various nanoparticles and growth factors provide better cell osteogenesis (below) compared with pure scaffolds (up). MSC: mesenchymal stem cell