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It describes selected technical developments in electrospinning related to the production of non-woven fiber scaffolds and their implications in the design of artificial tissue structures. Specifically, it describes techniques for the production of aligned fiber structures, multilayered, multiscaled and multifiber scaffolds, fiber modification and functionalization, and useful advances in process control. It also presents technical sketches showing in detail how to implement the techniques presented into electrospinning equipment setups. Finally, it discusses remaining limitations that pertain to the design of scaffold materials.

Small caliber vascular grafts represent a challenge to material scientists. In contrast to large caliber grafts, prostheses with diameter <6 mm, lead to increased hemodynamic disturbances and thrombogenic complications. Thus, endothelialization of small caliber grafts should create a compatible interface for hemodynamic processes. The purpose of our study was to compare different compositions of electrospun scaffolds with conventional ePTFE grafts with an inner diameter of 4 mm as well as different pre-coatings to create an optimized physiological interface for endothelialization. Polycaprolactone, polylactide, and polyethylenglycol (PCL/PLA and PCL/PLA/PEG) electrospun grafts and ePTFE grafts were pre-coated with blood, gelatine or fibronectin and seeded with endothelial cells from the human term placenta. Best results were obtained with fibronectin-coated PCL/PLA/PEG grafts. Here, the number of attached viable cells was 78-81% higher than on fibronectin pre-treated ePTFE grafts. Cells attached to PCL/PLA/PEG grafts appeared in physiological cobblestone morphology. Viability analysis showed a high cell viability of more than 98%. Fibronectin-coated PCL/PLA/PEG grafts may be a promising improvement to conventionally used ePTFE grafts.

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