Biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds: preparation and characterization of chitin/silk fibroin blend nanofibers.
Electrospinning of chitin/silk fibroin (SF) blend solutions in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) was investigated to fabricate a biomimetic nanostructured scaffolds for tissue engineering. The morphology of the electrospun chitin/SF blend nanofibers was investigated with a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The average diameters of chitin/SF blend fibers decreased from 920 to 340nm, with the increase of chitin content in blend compositions. The miscibility of chitin/SF blend fibers was examined by solution viscosity measurement. The chitin and SF were immiscible in the as-spun nanofibrous structure. The dimensional stability of chitin/SF blend nanofibers, with or without water vapor after-treatment, was conducted by immersing in water. As-spun SF-rich blend nanofibrous matrices were lost their fibrous structure after the water immersion for 24h, and then changed into membrane-like structure. On the contrary, nanofibrous structures of water vapor-treated SF-rich blends were almost maintained. To assay the cytocompatibility and cell behavior on the chitin/SF blend nanofibrous scaffolds, cell attachment and spreading of normal human epidermal keratinocyte and fibroblasts seeded on the scaffolds were studied. Our results indicate that chitin/SF blend nanofibrous matrix, particularly the one that contained 75% chitin and 25% SF, could be a potential candidate for tissue engineering scaffolds because it has both biomimetic three-dimensional structure and an excellent cell attachment and spreading for NHEK and NHEF.
Department of Textile Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, South Korea.
Ko Eun
KE
Park
Sung Youn
SY
Jung
Seung Jin
SJ
Lee
Byung-Moo
BM
Min
Won Ho
WH
Park
D000293:Adolescent; D032701:Biomimetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D047011:Silk / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D047011:Silk; D014867:Water; D002686:Chitin; D005349:Fibroins