Neural stem cell differentiation in a cell–collagen–bioreactor culture system

Abstract Neural stem cells and neural progenitors (NSCs/NPs) are capable of self-renewal and can give rise to both neurons and glia. Such cells have been isolated from the embryonic brain and immobilized in three dimensional collagen gels. The collagen-entrapped NSCs/NPs recapitulate CNS stem cell development and form functional synapses and neuronal circuits. However, the cell–collagen constructs from static conditions contain hypoxic, necrotic cores and the cells are short-lived. In the present study, NSCs/NPs isolated from embryonic day 13 rat cortical neuroepithelium are immobilized in type I collagen gels and cultured in NASA-designed rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactors for up to 9 weeks. Initially, during the first 2 weeks of culture, a lag phase of cellular growth and differentiation is observed in the RWV bioreactors. Accelerated growth and differentiation, with the cells beginning to form large aggregates (∼1 mm in diameter) without death cores, begins during the third week. The collagen-entrapped NSCs/NPs cultured in RWV show active neuronal generation followed by astrocyte production. After 6 weeks in rotary culture, the cell–collagen constructs contain over 10 fold greater nestin + and GFAP + cells and two-fold more TuJ1 gene expression than those found in static cultures. In addition, TuJ1 + neurons in RWV culture give rise to extensive neurite outgrowth and considerably more synapsin I + pre-synaptic puncta surrounding MAP2 + cell bodies and dendrites. These results strongly suggest that the cell–collagen–bioreactor culture system supports long-term NSC/NP growth and differentiation, and RWV bioreactors can be useful in generating neural tissue like constructs, which may have the potential for cell replacement therapy.