Biodegradable composite membranes containing propolis were produced from PCL/PLLA blends using a simple and low-cost solvent casting method, and subsequently their physicochemical, mechanical, and antibacterial properties were characterized. SEM analysis revealed that the addition of propolis has created honeycomb-like structures on the film surfaces. The flexibility of the films increased in the presence of propolis, which may provide ease of use during application. Propolis disrupted the organized structure of both polymers at the molecular level and caused decreases in the melting points. The films with propolis showed faster degradation in physiological conditions due to this molecular disruption. Moreover, the PLLA/PCL/propolis composite films exhibited remarkable antibacterial activities againstS. aureus. Collectively, the data suggest that the produced films might be used as an alternative to exiting barrier membranes in guided tissue regeneration.
Synthetic polymers remain to be a major choice for scaffold fabrication due to their structural stability and mechanical strength. However, the lack of functional moieties limits their application for cell-based therapies which necessitate modification and functionalization. Blending synthetic polymers with natural components is a simple and effective way to achieve the desired biological properties for a scaffold. Herein, nanofibrous mats made of polycaprolactone (PCL) and egg white protein (EWP) blend were developed and further evaluated for use as a scaffold for tissue engineering applications. Homogeneous distribution of EWP was achieved throughout the nanofibrous mats, as shown by immunohistochemistry. ATR-FTIR analysis and contact angle measurements have further confirmed the presence of EWP on the surface of the samples. The swelling test showed that PCL/EWP nanofibers have higher water uptake than PCL nanofibrous mats. Also, EWP addition on the nanofibrous mats resulted in an increase in the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the mats, indicating that the presence of protein can greatly enhance the mechanical properties of the mats. A significantly higher, more uniform, and dispersed cell spreading was observed on days 7 and 14 than that on neat PCL mats, demonstrating the importance of providing the required cues for cell homing by the availability of EWP. Hence, EWP is shown to be a simple and low-cost source for the functionalization of PCL nanofibrous mats. EWP is, therefore, a facile candidate to enhance cellular interactions of synthetic polymers for a wide range of tissue engineering applications.
Sustainable, ecological, and biocompatible materials are emerging for the development of novel components for tissue engineering. Microalgae being one of the unique organisms on Earth to provide various novel compounds with certain bioactivities are also a good source for the development of novel tissue scaffold materials. In this study, electrospinning technique was utilized to fabricate nanofibers from polycaprolactone loaded with microalgal extracts obtained from Haematococcus pluvialis (vegetative and carotenoid producing form) and Chlorella vulgaris. The FTIR results showed that, blending microalgae with polycaprolactone give unique bands rooted from microalgae and polycaprolactone structure. The samples were not diversified from each other, however stable bands were observed. SEM analysis revealed a uniform fiber fabrication with an average diameter of 810 ± 55 nm independent from microalgal extracts. MTT assay was done on HUVEC cell lines and results showed that nanofiber mats helped cell proliferation with extended time. Biodegradation resulted with mineral accumulation on the surface of same samples however the fiber degradation was uniform. With slow but stable biodegradation characteristics, microalgal extract loaded nanofiber mats holds great potential to be novel tissue scaffold material.
In the last two decades, several processes have been explored for the development of micro and/or nanostructured substrates by sagely physically and/or chemically manipulating polymer materials. These processes have to be designed to overcome some of the limitations of the traditional ones in terms of feasibility, reproducibility, and sustainability. Herein, the primary aim of this work is to focus on the enormous potential of using a high voltage electric field to manipulate polymers from synthetic and/or natural sources for the fabrication of different devices based on elementary units, i.e., fibers or particles, with different characteristic sizes—from micro to nanoscale. Firstly, basic principles and working mechanisms will be introduced in order to correlate the effect of selected process parameters (i.e., an applied voltage) on the dimensional features of the structures. Secondly, a comprehensive overview of the recent trends and potential uses of these processes will be proposed for different biomedical and bio-sustainable application areas.
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