Electrospun biomaterial scaffolds can be engineered to support the neural differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. As electrospinning produces scaffolds consisting of nano or microfibers, these topographical features can be used as cues to direct stem cell differentiation. These nano and microscale scaffolds can also be used to deliver chemical cues, such as small molecules and growth factors, to direct the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into neural phenotypes. Induced pluripotent stem cells can become any cell type found in the body, making them a powerful tool for engineering tissues. Therefore, a combination of an engineered biomaterial scaffold with induced pluripotent stem cells is a promising approach for neural tissue engineering applications. As detailed in this thesis, electrospun scaffolds support the neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells through delivering the appropriate chemical cues and also presenting physical cues, specifically topography to enhance neuronal regeneration. This thesis seeks to evaluate the following topics: multifunctional electrospun scaffolds for promoting neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells, neuronal differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells seeded on electrospun scaffolds with varied topographies, and controlled release of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor from random and aligned electrospun nanofibers. / Graduate / nkhadem@uvic.ca
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/5758 |
| Date | 12 December 2014 |
| Creators | Khadem Mohtaram, Nima |
| Contributors | Willerth, Stephanie M |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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