Figure 3

Growth and differentiation of hMSCs on CNT with the different arrangement of individual CNTs. (a) Schematic diagram showing the experimental procedure. CNTs were assembled on Au substrates in an aligned or a randomly oriented formation, following functionalization with thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG-SH). hMSCs were cultured and investigated. (b) Plausible model to explain the hMSC responses to the orientation of CNT networks. The hMSCs were elongated along the alignment direction of the CNTs because of a high affinity between CNTs and cells (adapted from reference [28]).