ABSTRACT
We observed the effects of IKVAV self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold (SAPNS) on olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs). The IKVAV molecules were triggered to self-assemble to interconnected nanofibers hydrogel by adjusting pH of solution and adding of DMEM/F12 culture medium. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) showed that self-assembly hydrogel was consisted of the interconnected nanofibers, which varied from three nm to five nm in diameter and hundreds nanometer in length. The primary OECs were isolated from rat olfactory bulb and purified by differential adhesion twice. At days 12, the purity of OECs was 85% according to immunostaining of P75 NGFR antibody. OECs were cultured with IKVAV peptide. The adhesion, viability and proliferation of OECs were observed with inverted microscope, Calcein-AM/PI staining and Cell Counting Kit-8. OECs cultured on IKVAV SAPNS grew well and the viable cell count was 95%. IKVAV SAPNS can promote the adhesion of OECs and did no hinder the proliferation of OECs. IKVAV SAPNS nanofiber gel has good biocompatibility and bioactivity for OECs. It can serve as a good nerve tissue engineering scaffold.