Three-Dimensional Magnetic Polymeric Constructs for Magnetothermal Stimulation and Tissue Engineering

Magnetothermal stimulation for cell modulation is based on heat dissipation from 20 nm iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) exposed to alternating magnetic fields with frequencies of 100-600 kHz and 10-60 mT. Such stimulation offers the ability to perform tumor ablation for cancer hyperthermia or neuromodulation via stimulation of heat-sensitive ion channels, such as the transient receptor potential vanilloid family member 1 (TRPV1), which has a temperature threshold of 42 °C.<br/>Previous studies have primarily utilized MNPs as ferrofluid embedded in the cell medium for in vitro analysis or injected into the organ of interest. Our work introduces a novel method for constructing three-dimensional polymeric structures that can accommodate cells and MNPs. We comprehensively analyze the magnetic gel, including the MNP’s impact on the microstructure, mechanical properties, heat dissipation, and biocompatibility. This magnetic gel acts as a functional scaffold, offering potential applications in regenerative medicine and in vitro examination of MNP’s functionality. Moreover, we present optional tuning of the scaffold’s properties for neuroscience applications by examining the functionality of neuronal cells seeded within the scaffold. Our results suggest the potential of the magnetic gel for tissue engineering, bioelectronic implants, and drug delivery.