Peptide-decorated polyvinyl alcohol/hyaluronan nanofibers for human induced pluripotent stem cell culture

Realization of the full potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in clinical applications requires development of well-defined conditions for their growth and differentiation. A novel fully defined polyvinyl alcohol/hyaluronan (PVA/HA) polysaccharide nanofiber was developed for hiPSCs culture in commercially available xeno-free, chemically defined medium. Vitronectin peptide (VP) was immobilized to PVA/HA nanofibers through NHS/EDC chemistry. The hiPSCs successfully grew and proliferated on the VP-decorated PVA/HA nanofibers, similar to those on Matrigel™. Such well-defined, xeno-free and safe nanofiber substrate that supports culture of hiPSCs will not only help to accelerate the translational perspectives of hiPSCs, but also provide a platform to investigate the cell–nanofiber interaction mechanisms that regulate stem cell proliferation and differentiation.