Hemoglobin Nanofibrils as Electrospun Cell Scaffolds to Enhance Primary Satellite Cell Proliferation and Differentiation for Muscle Regeneration

Stem cells are usually sensitive to extracellular matrix (ECM), and an effective synthetic ECM to mimic there in vivo growth surroundings is always desired. Poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) is a common synthetic material extensively employed for ECMs in medical regeneration applications. However, it lacks inherent bioactivity, which poses limitations to its utility. Our study provides a solution to address this drawback by incorporating hemoglobin nanofibrils (HbFs) into PCL. Leveraging the economical and easily formed HbFs, the resulting electrospun cell scaffolds exhibited improved cell adhesion of muscle satellite cells. Furthermore, these scaffolds facilitated enhanced cell proliferation, cell infiltration into the scaffold, and higher levels of expression of differentiation-related proteins. This study demonstrates the feasibility of HbFs-incorporated electrospun scaffolds as a promising ECM substitute for muscle stem cell-based regeneration therapies.