An electrode of quartz crystal microbalance decorated with CNT/chitosan/fibronectin for investigating early adhesion and deforming morphology of rat mesenchymal stem cells

The early responses of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to various biopolymers are important to their proliferation and differentiation. Here, the adhesions of rat MSCs on the electrode of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) decorated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT)/chitosan (CS), CNT/CS/hyaluronic acid (HA) and CNT/CS/fibronectin (FN) layers were investigated and compared with other techniques at a serum-free condition for 12-h incubation. The numbers of adhered rMSCs on CNT/CS/FN and CNT electrodes were 76 and 26% of the initial values, respectively, determined by cell-count technique while MTS assay could not detect the differences. The weights of adhered rMSCs on CNT/CS/FN electrodes of QCM were 50% higher than those on other surfaces that were consistent with cell-count technique. The morphology of adhered rMSCs on the CNT/CS/FN surfaces markedly differed from those on other surfaces. In conclusion, the electrodes of QCM decorated with CNT/CS/FN or CNT/CS/carbohydrate polymers could be quantified the early adhesion of rMSCs on their surfaces.