Electroconductive Polythiophene Nanocomposite Fibrous Scaffolds for Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation via Electrical Stimulation

Biophysical cues are key distinguishing characteristics that influencetissue development and regeneration, and significant efforts have been made to alterthe cellular behavior by means of cell-substrate interactions and external stimuli.Electrically conductive nanofibers are capable of treating bone defects since theyclosely mimic thefibrillar architecture of the bone matrix and deliver theendogenous and exogenous electricfields required to direct cell activities.Nevertheless, previous studies on conductive polymer-based scaffolds have beenlimited to polypyrrole, polyaniline, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT). In the present study, chemically synthesized polythiophene nanoparticles(PTh NPs) are incorporated into polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers, andsubsequent changes in physicochemical, mechanical, and electrical properties areobserved in a concentration-dependent manner. In murine preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1), we examine how substrate properties modified by adding PTh NPs contributeto changes in the cellular behavior, including viability, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization. Additionally, we determinethat external electrical stimulation (ES) mediated by PTh NPs positively affects such osteogenic responses. Together, our resultsprovide insights into polythiophene's potential as an electroconductive composite scaffold material