Behavior of embryonic rat cerebral cortical stem cells on the PVA and EVAL substrates

Cell behavior is determined by intrinsic programs and complex interactions among cells, medium components and substrates. Several previous reports have demonstrated the usefulness of extrinsic signals coming from soluble growth factors and cell–cell contact for regulating the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. At present, the effects of substrate on neural stem cells are not known. In this study, the behavior of neural stem cells, isolated from embryonic rat cerebral cortex, was observed and compared on the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVAL) substrates in the presence of the mitogenic effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the serum-free medium. It was found that PVA and EVAL exerted different influences on the fate of neural stem cells. The behavior of neural stem cells on the EVAL was independent of cell density at the single-cell level. Single neural stem cells seemed to remain dormant on the EVAL. Conversely, the development of cell clusters, termed neurospheres, was in a density-dependent manner on the EVAL. Neurospheres continuously proliferated under high-density culture condition, but differentiated into neurons and astrocytes under low-density culture condition. However, regardless of single cells or neurospheres, cultured cells could not survive on the PVA. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that biomaterials may stimulate or inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. These in vitro results are very encouraging since this information should be useful for the development of strategies for regulating the preservation, proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells.