In vitro proliferation and differentiation of canine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells over hydroxyl functionalized CNT substrates

Nanotopography of culture substrate acts as a positive cue in cell-biomaterial based tissue regeneration. Considering the potentiality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) this study was designed to evaluate its two functionalized form by an in vitro culture condition using canine mesenchymal stem cells as cellular model. Cells were isolated and its behaviour, proliferation and differentiation processes were elucidated onto CNT substrates. Beside the variations in cellular behaviour it was remarkably noted that even though proliferation was reduced but osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation was enhanced over multi-walled CNTs, whereas neuronal differentiation was better supported by single walled CNTs as evidenced by our cytochemical, immunocytochemical, gene expression and flow cytometry assays. The former one was noticed more cytocompatible by our different apoptosis studies. The outcome of these experiments collectively indicated that hydroxylated functionalized CNTs could be a potential scaffold constituent for future experimentations as well as for the application in regenerative medicine.