Culture of ES Cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds

Cell proliferations on carbon nanotube scaffolds were investigated for the embryonic stem cells (ES cells) of mouse and the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of rat. Although ES cells were well attached and proliferated on gelatin-coated plastic dishes, they did not attach on the CNT-coated scaffold, and formed the spheroids growing in the culture medium. For MSC, they attached on the CNT-coated scaffold and grew to form mineralized particles as on the plastic dishes of control. The growth rate of the MSC was lower than control but showed the higher expression of alkaline phosphatase activity per cell in 2 weeks and degree of mineralization per cell for 3 and 4 weeks.