Stem cell culture and differentiation on polymeric surface immobilized with bioactive nanosegments

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05251
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 35020:Polymer materials-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Higuchi Akon 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 開拓研究本部, 客員研究員 (30189766)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 幹細胞培養 / 生体適合性材料 / オリゴペプチド / 分化 / 細胞培養基板 / 細胞接着因子ペプチド / 弾性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objectives of this study were (1) to design stem cell culture substrates that take into account both physical and biochemical factors, and to investigate the possibility of mass culturing ES and iPS cells while maintaining their pluripotency, (2) to determine the optimal substrate stiffness/elasticity and the optimal extracellular matrix (ECM) and oligopeptide for efficient differentiation into appropriate tissue cells (osteoblasts, cardiomyocytes and mesenchymal stem cells). Polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels with an elastic modulus of around 25 kPa were found to be the most suitable substrates for ES and iPS cell culture. The cell adhesion peptides (peptides derived from laminin β4 with double-stranded structure, joint groups and basic lysine) on the nanosegment-immobilized cell culture substrates were found to be the optimal for peptide-grafted hydrogels for ES and iPS cell culture and differentiation.

Free Research Field

生体材料

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

再生医療の発展のためには、特定の組織細胞に幹細胞を高効率で分化させること、さらにヒトiPS細胞並びにES細胞を多分化能状態で、細胞増殖を行なうことが必須である。本研究成果は、幹細胞培養並びに分化に最適な細胞培養基板の剛性/弾性の同定を行なった。さらに、最適な剛性/弾性を有する細胞培養基板上に固定化された最適なナノセグメント（ECM並びに細胞接着因子ペプチド）を同定したことが、学術的意義であり独創的な点である。本研究成果の概念が普及することにより、幹細胞並びにＥＳ（胚性幹）細胞の培養並びに分化が容易になり、再生医療に貢献することが期待される（社会的意義）。