Biofunctional thermoresponsive gelatin-PNIPAm microcarriers with embedded zero-valent iron nanoparticles for enhanced human adipose-derived stem cell expansion and differentiation.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) hold substantial promise for regenerative medicine due to their multipotency and immunomodulatory capacity; however, efficient and scalable expansion remains a critical bottleneck. Conventional microcarrier culture systems typically rely on enzymatic dissociation for cell harvesting, which can compromise stemness, reduce viability, and limit process robustness. Here we report a thermoresponsive, magnetically responsive microcarrier platform (ZVI-GMC) comprising a gelatin core functionalized with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-allylamine (PNIPAm-ALA) and embedded zero-valent iron nanoparticles (ZVI NPs). The gelatin-PNIPAm-ALA hybrid interface enables temperature-triggered, enzyme-free cell detachment, supporting repeated passaging of ADSCs while preserving their viability, phenotype, and differentiation potential. Incorporation of ZVI NPs enhances structural stability, imparts magnetic responsiveness for facile handling, and promotes ADSCs proliferation under dynamic culture conditions. ADSCs cultured on ZVI-GMC microcarriers retained robust trilineage differentiation capacity toward osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic lineages, as confirmed by Alizarin Red S, Oil Red O, and Alcian Blue staining, respectively. Collectively, this macromolecule-nanoparticle hybrid microcarrier system provides a scalable and bioactive strategy for ADSCs e

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.