Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold can simulate the in vivo microenvironment and provide the structural model for cells, which promotes the right composition of extracellular matrix and cell growth, as well as improve the cell functions.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of three-dimensional self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold on the secretion function of islets in vitro.
METHODS: We co-cultured the three-dimensional nanofiber hydrogel scaffold and islet cells from adult Wistar rats. The AO-PI fluorescent staining was used to detect the viability and survival rates of islet cells; radioimmunoassay to determine the secretion function of islet cells; the scanning electron microscopy to observe three-dimensional growth condition of islet cells encapsulated in the self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The purity of the islet cells in the peptide scaffold was > 80%. The survival rates and secretion function of the islet cells in the three-dimensional nanofiber scaffold were significantly higher than those in the two-dimensional culture environment (P < 0.05). By the scanning electron microscopy, it was observed that the self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold formed a nano-scale folium with a geometric form and the islet cells encapsulated in this scaffold were in three-dimensional growth. The results demonstrated that the three-dimensional self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold provides a favorable microenvironment for the islet cells to grow in vitro and also can improve the viability, the secretion function and morphology, as well as prolong the survival time of islet cells in vitro.