Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel: A Favourable Niche for Neural Stem Cells - Hyaluronic Acid for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications - page 13

astrocytes, if they are within a stiffer hydrogel, since its mechanical
properties are comparable to those of the adult brain [57]. The study
of Kim and co-workers [51] shows that the mechanical properties
of the gel also influence the differentiation of human MSC on HA
fibres, in which softer fibres enhance the chondrogenesis.

a

b

0 µm 50 0 µm 50

Figure 1.4 Confocal laser SEM images of differentiation of NSC
cultured in HA-polylysine hydrogels for 5 days. Differentiation
into (a) β-tubulin III-positive neurons; (b) glial fibrillary acidic
protein-positive glial cells. Reproduced with permission from
Y.J. Ren, Z.Y. Zhou and F.Z. Cui, Journal of Bioactive and
Compatible Polymers , 2009, 24 , 56. ©2009 SAGE Publications
[50]

Different modifications to the gels also affect NSC differentiation.
For example, Pan and co-workers [50] have found that the NSC
differentiate into fewer neuronal cells on the HA-PLL hydrogel,
compared with more such cells on the hydrogels of HA, or HA with
NgR antibody.