The Effects of Ion-Implanted Silicone Rubber on the Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with extracellular matrix interactions can regulate stem cell signaling pathways and significantly affect the fate of stem cells and their function. Topographical surface modification of a biomaterial may be an efficient tool for inducing stem cell differentiation and may replace the use of biochemical stimuli. In this study, we used three types of ions implanted into the surface of silicone rubber (SR) to prepare carbon ion-implanted silicone rubber, silver ion-implanted silicone rubber and nitrogen ion-implanted silicone rubber. After the materials were characterized, the effects of different ion-implanted silicone rubbers on the differentiation of rBMSCs were investigated. The results indicated that ion implantation changed the nanotopography, which significantly increased the surface roughness and decreased the water contact angle of the SR. Furthermore, ion implantation significantly enhanced the expression of Runx2, which regulates osteogenic differentiation in rBMMSCs, especially on N-SR. In conclusion, ion implantation affects the differentiation of stem cells and has the potential for application in stem cell bioprocessing or regenerative medicine.