Laser-Structured Si and PLGA Inhibit the Neuro2a Differentiation in Mono- and Co-Culture with Glia

Background: The first step towards a successful neural tissue engineering therapy is the development of an appropriate scaffold and the in vitro study of the cellular response onto it. Methods: Here, we fabricated nano- and micro- patterned Si surfaces via direct ultrafast laser irradiation, as well as their replicas in the biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide), in order to use them as culture substrates for neuronal cells. The differentiation of neuro2a cells on the Si platforms and their replicas was studied both in a mono-culture and in a co-culture with glial cells (Schwann—SW10). Results: It was found that the substrate’s roughness inhibits the differentiation of the neuronal cells even in the presence of the differentiation medium, and the higher the roughness is, the more the differentiation gets limited. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of the substrate’s topography for the controlled growth and differentiation of the neuronal cells and their further study via protein screening methods could shed light on the factors that lead to limited differentiation; thus, contributing to the long standing request for culture substrates that induce cells to differentiate.