Poly(ɛ‐caprolactone)/gelatin composite electrospun scaffolds with porous crater‐like structures for tissue engineering

Abstract

Electrospinning has been widely used to fabricate scaffolds imitating the structure of natural extracellular matrix (ECM). However, conventional electrospinning produces tightly compacted nanofiber layers with only small superficial pores and a lack of bioactivity, which limit the usefulness of electrospinning in biomedical applications. Thus, a porous poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin composite electrospun scaffold with crater-like structures was developed. Porous crater-like structures were created on the scaffold by a gas foaming/salt leaching process; this unique fiber structure had more large pore areas and higher porosity than the conventional electrospun fiber network. Various ratios of PCL/gelatin (concentration ratios: 100/0, 75/25, and 50/50) composite electrospun scaffolds with and without crater-like structures were characterized by their microstructures, surface chemistry, degradation, mechanical properties, and ability to facilitate cell growth and infiltration. The combination of PCL and gelatin endowed the scaffold with both structural stability of PCL and bioactivity of gelatin. All ratios of scaffolds with crater-like structures showed fairly similar surface chemistry, degradation rates, and mechanical properties to equivalent scaffolds without crater-like structures; however, craterized scaffolds displayed higher human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) proliferation and infiltration throughout the scaffolds after 7-day culture. Therefore, these results demonstrated that PCL/gelatin composite electrospun scaffolds with crater-like structures can provide a structurally and biochemically improved three-dimensional ECM-mimicking microenvironment.

Three‐dimensional electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

“…Strategies for preparing 3D electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds and the microscopic morphology: (a) sacrificial components (Wang et al, ); (b) wet‐electrospinning (Chakrapani, Kumar, Raj, & Kumary, ; Taskin et al, ); (c) cryogenic electrospinning (Formica et al, ); (d) electrohydrodynamic printing (Wu et al, ); (e) dispersion‐shaping (Xu, Miszuk, Zhao, Sun, & Fong, ); (f) gas‐foaming (Hwang et al, )…”

Bioengineering strategies for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration using growth factors and stem cells

“…The biomimetic properties and outstanding physicochemical characteristics of composite scaffolds play a vital role in promoting the growth of cells, thus leading to tissue regeneration. Medium-sized pores with sizes of the order of macrometers support nutrient and oxygen supply and the development of the microvasculature structures, while small pores with sizes of the order of micrometers evoke less profound effects on cell behaviors, such as gene expression and seeding (Hwang et al, 2016). Scaffolds act as an artificial ECM and mimic the critical features of the innate ECM composed of interwoven protein fibers with diameters of the order of nanometers, as collagen fiber diameter ranges from 50 to 500 nm.…”

“…Therefore, an ideal scaffold should be highly porous, yet structurally stable to support cell proliferation and ECM deposition for tissue regeneration (Figure 2). Medium-sized pores with sizes of the order of macrometers support nutrient and oxygen supply and the development of the microvasculature structures, while small pores with sizes of the order of micrometers evoke less profound effects on cell behaviors, such as gene expression and seeding (Hwang et al, 2016). Therefore, a 3D scaffold with a hybridized macroporous and nanoporous nature should be ideal for cell survival, and has active roles in bone and cartilage tissue regeneration.…”

Construction of Sandwich-like cell sheets with natural electrospun gelatin/chitosan nanofibrous delivered plasmid VEGF for accelerated wound healing

“…As is well known, The primary constituent of the ECM is typically collagen [12], gelatin is a denatured form of collagen, it is completely resorbable in vivo, its physicochemical properties can be suitably modulated due to the existence of many functional groups, because of its biological origin, biocompatibility, biodegradability, commercial availability and has not shown any antigenicity, it has been popularly used in tissue engineered scaffolds [13]. Chitosan is also promising biopolymers for tissue engineering because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, antibacterial and antifungal activity [14,15].…”