Proving the suitability of magnetoelectric stimuli for tissue engineering applications

A novel approach for tissue engineering applications based on the use of magnetoelectric materials is presented. This work proves that magnetoelectric Terfenol-D/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) composites are able to provide mechanical and electrical stimuli to MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells and that those stimuli can be remotely triggered by an applied magnetic field. Cell proliferation is enhanced up to 25% when cells are cultured under mechanical (up to 110 ppm) and electrical stimulation (up to 0.115 mV), showing that magnetoelectric cell stimulation is a novel and suitable approach for tissue engineering allowing magnetic, mechanical and electrical stimuli.

This work is funded by FEDER funds through the “Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade—COMPETE” and by national funds arranged by FCT—Fundac¸ ão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, project reference PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2014. C.R., V.C. and P.M. thank the FCT for the SFRH/BPD/90870/2012, SFRH/BPD/96227/2013 and SFRH/BPD/97739/2013 grants, respectively. The authors thank financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK Program. S.L.M. thanks the Diputación de Bizkaia for financial support under the Bizkaia Talent program.