MXene Nanoparticles: Orchestrating Spherioidogenesis for Targeted Osteogenic and Neurogenic Differentiation

Abstract

MXenes represent a new class of 2D materials and exhibit unique properties that render them promising candidates for biomedical applications. MXenes can interact with cell membranes and modulate cell junction interactions, thereby influencing stem cell fate. While previous studies have demonstrated their potential to induce cell differentiation, research on their effects on stem cell spheroid growth and differentiation capacity is limited. This study investigates the ability of MXenes to induce cell differentiation using spheroids, which mimic the in vivo 3D microenvironment and hold significance for bone and nerve regeneration. MXene-induced spheroids of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) and human neural stem cells (hNSCs) rapidly aggregate, indicating MXene's role in spheroid formation. The differentiation of these spheroids confirms MXene's ability to induce specific cell types: hADSC spheroids show enhanced osteogenic differentiation at a 5 μg mL⁻¹ concentration, while hNSC spheroids require higher concentrations (20 μg mL⁻¹) for neuronal differentiation, possibly due to MXene's influence on intercellular adhesion. These findings highlight the potential of MXene particles in promoting rapid aggregation and differentiation of hADSC and hNSC spheroids, offering promise for applications in tissue engineering, specifically in bone and nerve regeneration.