Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

Biological interaction between cells and scaffolds is mediated through events at surfaces. Proteins present in the culture medium adsorb on substrates, generating a protein adlayer that triggers further downstream events governing cell adhesion. Polymer blends often combine the properties of the individual components, for example, can provide mechanical as well as surface properties in one fibre. Therefore, mixtures of synthetic polycaprolactone and gelatin as a denatured form of collagen were electrospun at selected conditions and polymer weight ratios. Fibre morphologies and chemical properties of the surfaces were analysed. These scaffolds were seeded with human mesenchymal stromal cells and their viability was studied. Gelatin addition to polycaprolactone leads to a reduction in fibre diameter. A linear increase in gelatin at the fibre surface was observed in function of the weighed polymers, except for polycaprolactone/gelatin fibres incorporating equal weight ratios. Thereby, a depletion of gelatin at the fibre surface is stated for equally mixed polymers. The depletion of gelatin at the fibre surface is most probably due to hydrophobic interactions between hydrophobic segments of polycaprolactone and gelatin, affecting the spinning mechanism and thus fibre structure. Furthermore, polycaprolactone/gelatin blends show enhanced wettability properties compared to pure gelatin, at least partly due to molecular segregation. Results of in vitro studies reveal an increase in cellular viability and proliferation for cells cultivated on nanofibres containing gelatin, caused by the cell-attractive surface composition as well as the hydrophilic nature of the scaffolds. Contact guidance of cells seeded on parallelised fibres is observed, and DNA tests show evidently enhanced cell numbers on nanofibres containing 20 wt% of gelatin.

Mesenchymal stromal cells, electrospinning, surface, blends, biocompatibility, polymers, bioactivity

The effect of electrospinning parameters on morphology, molecular, and supermolecular structure of polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers was analyzed, with respect to tissue engineering applications. Fibers morphology and structure are mainly determined by solution concentration and collector type. Applied voltage does not significantly influence supermolecular structure (crystallinity) and mechanical stiffness. There is correlation between changes in structure and proliferation of 3T3 cells as evidenced by in vitro study. Processing window of optimal scaffolds is relatively wide, however, variation of electrospinning parameters do not significantly affect their biological functionality.

3T3 cells, crystallinity, electrospinning, molecular orientation, polycaprolactone, porosity, tissue engineering