Developing a Functional Polyelectrolyte Hybrid Layer Scaffold Coating and Evaluation of Its Performance for Interaction With Neural Cells

ABSTRACT In this study, polyelectrolyte‐based layer coatings modified with copper (CuNPs) and iron(II, III) oxide nanoparticles (Fe ₃ O ₄ NPs) are developed to enhance physicochemical properties and assess cell–material interactions. The effects of varying nanoparticle concentrations are evaluated in vitro using the murine neural stem cell line NE‐4C. Cell morphology on nanocomposite surfaces is examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while fluorescence imaging and mitochondrial activity assays are conducted to evaluate cellular function. Mitochondrial activity results demonstrate that higher Fe ₃ O ₄ NP content enhanced metabolic activity of NE‐4C cells in both poly‐L‐lysine (PLL)‐ and polyethylenimine (PEI)‐based coatings. Fluorescence microscopy confirms the presence of both astrocytes and neurons on all scaffolds; however, it was observed that Fe ₃ O ₄ NP‐containing materials promote a higher proportion of neurons relative to CuNP‐modified coatings. Overall, the incorporation of metallic nanoparticles significantly influenced neural cell morphology and function. These findings indicate that controlled nanoparticle integration within polyelectrolyte coatings can tailor the interfacial microenvironment that interacts with neural cells, highlighting their potential for neural tissue engineering applications.